Dimension Domination
by Z 2004
Summary: Scifi actionadventure. Two friends become trapped in a fictional world which they now must save from an evil and terrifying force. Disney charcters and many others aid them in their quest to save the Dimensions. COMPLETE
1. The Fiction Dimension Port

Foreword.  
Hello, I am Z, I wrote this story before I had the Internet and I have only just posted it. This story is a weird one, that's for sure. I got the idea from a PS2 game called Kingdom Hearts. Basically this story is centred around one main character. Me. Yeah, yeah, I know it's immodest, but who the hell cares?  
In the story that follows my name is, wait for it, Z. A cliché I know, but again, who the hell cares? In this story me, my cousin, my sister and a whole group of my friends (all of which have their own codenames) are the main characters. But, as you'd expect, a story that involved only us would be quite boring so there are many other characters involved in this story. Some you will know some you won't (which is why this story is in the crossover section) they include Harry Potter (if you don't know who he is you must be dead) Jak and Daxter (games characters) and literally hundreds more.  
And all these hundreds of characters in one story? Precisely! So enjoy it, as it is (I hope) one of a kind.  
Oh and there's something else you should know, each and every character is labelled when they appear so you know who they are. For example, if it said 'the hero Link appeared' it would instantly be followed by this: (Link: main hero in, The legend of Zelda games for the N64 and Gamecube.) So you know who he is, understand? I hope so!  
  
Our story begins with Z. no one knew who Z was. No one knew where he came from and nobody actually cared. He was a loner. He was a excellent pilot and, most importantly, he was a great shot with a pair of Duel X Laser Guns.  
As a matter of fact Z didn't even know who he was anymore. He used to be just another normal citizen of Blitzen City, the capital of the planet Plutopia. That was until he took a nasty blow to the head when a mob threw a couple of Concusser Grenades into his penthouse.  
He was twelve years old at the time.  
  
Z tightened his flying gloves and slid into his P.O.D 2X Hover Bike. P.O.D stood for Power Orthodox Drive, quite appropriate for this nifty machine. It was Z's Hover Bike and it was customised to fit him just right, made so it would slide with ease through the crowded skies of Blitzen City, it even had a pair of Duel Cannons fitted in the front in case he got into any trouble with the law.  
Z was generally a law-abiding man (if he can be called a man) but from time to time he let loose a couple of blasts from his customised guns and when that happened he usually needed a to make a quick getaway. The P.O.D 2X was perfect for just that.  
Z pulled on his flight helmet and yanked back the accelerator levers; the Hover Bike sped out through the hanger and into the crowded hustle and bustle of treacherous Blitzen City.  
  
Let me explain a little more. Z was a normal twelve year old when his mental status took quite a dip. For a year or so he was confined to the hospital of Blitzen City. But even their technology couldn't decipher what was wrong with him.  
On his fourteenth birthday he was let out, but he was changed, changed dramatically. He had all the skills of a fully trained bounty hunter and no one knew why. So Z took up researching other dimensions, trying desperately to find a way back to Earth, his home planet, which was where he had been thrown into a Cyber Porthole to Blitzen City in a freak car accident.  
He had then teamed up with a scientist and good friend of his who went by the name of Daz. Daz knew a lot about Cyber Portholes and he was a strong believer in other dimensions and as Z flew to his laboratory, Daz was unravelling the secrets of the universe.  
  
The P.O.D 2X sped around the traffic at terrific speeds. Z was enjoying himself. He was even smiling, something which he hadn't done in a long time. He loved flying, it was incredibly fast and even more incredibly dangerous, but even though the risks were insane he knew he wasn't going to crash. He was a great pilot, a crazy pilot certainly, but a great one nevertheless.  
He could see Daz's lab ahead, it was a huge metal structure with hundreds of windows and classy outside lifts. He directed the P.O.D into the hanger and leapt out. he ripped of his helmet and placed it on his seat, before walking to a nearby door. It was a large metal one and it was particularly resistant to laser cannons.  
He typed in the password (which happened to be 'Mutant Teddy Bears') and the door slid open, a cool clear voice echoing from a speaker said 'nice to see you still alive, professor Daz is in his office.' "Thanks." Called Z and he smiled at the speaker.  
Daz was very pleased to see Z. "Z! How's it hanging?" "Well." Replied Z. "Good, good." "You okay?" Z asked, Daz seemed a little tense, true he had been drinking a lot of coffee lately, but Z didn't think that was it. "Yeah, sure, I'm fine. Look, Z there's something you should take a look at out back." "What is it." "You'll see." Z realised Daz was sweating, a phenomenon that didn't happen very often.  
Daz lead him through a door and drew back a large green curtain. "That," said Daz "is the Fiction Dimension Port, F.D.P for short." Z stared at it, it was immense, it was incredible, it was like nothing he'd ever seen before.  
The Fiction Dimension Port shone brightly, it was a huge mass of electricity and at its heart there was a small, black gap of nothingness. "What the hell is it?" Asked Z in awe. "It's a Fiction Dimension Port." "I know that, I meant what does it do?" "Ahh, now that's the clever bit. Basically it turns fiction to reality." "What? Are you telling me that thing can make dreams come true or something?" "No," Said Daz. "What it does is it makes everything fiction come to life." "Everything?" "Everything."  
Z was startled. "Okay, so could this get me back home?" "Yes. In theory." "In theory?" "Well, there are some technicalities..." "Like what?" Z was not prepared to walk into a unknown dimension. "Well, you'd have to be able to navigate the fiction world and..." "Wait a minute! The fiction world? Do you think I'm crazy? I'll be killed! Bugs Bunny will be dropping weights on my head! For God's sake, I'm not going in there!"  
Just as Z finished his sentence there was an ear-splitting boom and the ceiling caved in around them. Two scientists lay on the floor, killed by falling debris, blood poured onto the terracotta tiles, there was a scream, another explosion and the unmistakable sound of gunfire.  
Z instinctively whipped out his Duel X Laser Guns and shot out a small window, pulling out the emergency Laser Cannon behind it and handing it to Daz. Daz wasn't a particularly good shot, but he could provide some back up fire in necessary. There was a shrill hiss and a long red laser shot through the curtain piercing Daz in the arm. He screamed and fell to the floor swearing.  
So much for back up fire. Spinning his guns on his fingertips, Z loosened five shots through the curtain. Two men in masks dropped through it. Both of them stone dead.  
There was another explosion and Z saw the smoke pouring through the curtain, blocking his view of the bodies. No, not smoke, gas!  
"Oh, crap!" exclaimed Z, he knew there were no windows in the room and he was trapped by poison gas, there was only one thing for it. He gazed at the fluttering green curtain, took a long, deep breath, grabbed Daz by his shirt collar and tossed himself into the black nothingness of the Fiction Dimension Port.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Dimension Crossover.  
Z did not feel good. He did not feel good at all. In fact he felt like his very soul was being scorched from his body. The Fiction Dimension Port seemed to be destroying him, tearing him apart. He shook his body in pain, still holding on to the body of Daz who seemed to have passed out.  
Flashing colours were all around, frightening images surged through his brain, but weirdest of all he seemed to be having visions of characters from books, cartoons, even films. He had already seen the immense head of Mickey Mouse soar by, he had seen Donald Duck, he had even seen the exploding vision of Ratchet and Clank, (Ratchet and Clank: main heroes in the Ratchet and Clank games, for PS2) the main characters of a video game he loved.  
His brain could not cope with this change, so it decided not to try and shut down.  
  
Z awoke what must have been hours later, the ground beneath him seemed soft, soft and wavy, a little like a bouncy castle. He opened his eyes as his brain did a status check up.  
He seemed to be alright, a little drowsy, baggy eyed, his hand ached. Probably from dragging Daz. Daz. Where was he? What had become of him? Was he even still alive? Z struggled to his feet, staggering a little, fighting against gravity to keep upright. Gravity won. He fell to the ground and decided it best if he just tried to crawl. He managed this, but had to fight to keep himself from passing out.  
After five minutes or so Z got to his feet and found the mental strength to take stock of the situation. It was soon confirmed that his first thought had been correct; the ground was soft and wavy and was made up of a strange multi-coloured substance. Z knelt down and tried to touch it, but discovered his hand-eye-coordination was still awry and he missed first time. He tried again, this time with a low scooping motion. Z felt it and for a moment he hardly believed what his senses were telling him.  
The ground seemed to be made up of liquid! No, not just any liquid, but ink! Multi-coloured ink! How was he standing on it? He did not know, but he decided it must have something to do with being in the fiction world.  
He stood straight and turned slowly, it was getting better, but he was still not quite his old self. He looked around; Daz was lying on the ground (or, more appropriately, the ink) a few feet away, still tightly clutching the emergency laser cannon. Z drew his own pistols, feeling for their cool, metal triggers and brushing his hands over their sides. It was a comfort to him and it made him feel better.  
He put his guns back in their holsters, felt a sudden urge, twirled around and unlimbered, loosening a few shots into the inky ground. He fired again and again. His uncanny speed and pinpoint accuracy returning to him, he felt himself again, well again.  
The same could not be said for Daz. He lay sprawled on the ink, his white lab coat burnt at the joint in his left arm where the laser had pierced, a large gash visible. "Uurrggghh..." Moaned Daz as he came to. He tried to stand and, as Z had done, take stock of his surroundings. He fell to the inky floor again. Z helped him to his feet. "That was one hell of a nasty ride, remind me never to do that again." Daz stood, leaning on Z's arm.  
"What happened?" He asked. He sounded as if he was drunk. "We went through the Fiction Dimension Port," Explained Z. "The lab was attacked and there was no where else to go..." He suddenly remembered the dead bodies that had dropped through the curtain, the men he had shot, he had seen them before. Their masks, their armour, they were familiar. They were the men (or men of the same gang, at least) who had attacked his penthouse three years ago, the ones with the Concusser Grenades. Someone was tracking him, possibly trying to kill him, but who? And why?  
Daz pulled himself together and took a look around. The ground was wavy, inky. That was strange. He looked left and right, huge inky walls surrounded them and high, high above there was a wide spread ink ceiling. They seemed to be trapped in some sort of ink tunnel. "Ummm, Z, I think you should look at this." "What is it?" Asked Z, snapping out of his daydream. "We're trapped. Totally trapped, there's no way out, there's an ink wall at both ends of this tunnel." "I think I know what to do." Said Z and he drew his pistols, firing two shots into the inky wall. They burst straight through the ink, creating ripples on its surface. Z took a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly round his guns and stepped through the inky wall.  
He was gone. Five minutes later and after a little hesitation Daz followed.  
Stepping out the other side, Daz breathed deeply, taking in as much air as possible. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.  
They were in a long, glass tube, but what was really amazing was the glass tube was inside a giant pen. "Good lord..." Whispered Z. They were inside a pen! A giant pen, floating in a total void of nothingness. "I know what this is!" Exclaimed Daz. "It's the Dimension Crossover point! This area is where we can find access to other portholes, each leading to a different fictional dimension!" "Oh great, so now we can pick and choose, can we? Makes things sooooo much easier." Said Z sarcastically.  
"No, you don't understand! This is the best way to find Earth, we have to go through as many dimensions as we can, there just has to be another porthole somewhere." "So what do we do now?" Asked Z. Daz looked down at the glass floor of the tube, below them was another huge glass tunnel containing a giant metal spring. In front of them was a glass wall. "Blast out that wall, there may be a porthole in the tubes behind it."  
Z obliged, taking great pleasure in shooting out the wall, he loved the sound of breaking glass, it made him feel safe and peaceful.  
The two of them stepped over the broken glass, looking into the plastic tubes beyond. "There are six of them." Said Z, a tad unnecessarily. "Which one do we take?" "You pick." Said Daz simply. "As you wish."  
Z knelt down, sliding one pistol into its holster and placing the other onto the clear, glass floor. He spun it, again and again, so that it picked up more and more speed, then, without warning, he jabbed the middle of the gun with a finger. It stopped instantly, pointing to tube at the far left.  
"That's the one." Said Z and the two of them walked towards it. They only got halfway, then, with a sudden ear-splitting screech, the glass beneath them began to crack. "Run!" Barked Z bluntly, sprinting to the tube and pulling himself inside. Daz was not quite so lucky. The glass lurched sickeningly, tossing him forward with a speed and momentum more than enough to shatter the glass and send Daz plummeting into the void of darkness below.  
Z sighed. You never got used to this sort of thing. He got to his feet and started to walk up the tube, he found in situations like this it was best not to think about it and deal with the problem at hand.  
He crawled up the steep hump in the tube, sliding down the dip that followed.  
  
He got to the end of the tube a while later, still trying to block out the fact that Daz was gone and he may never see him again. What really took his mind of it was the sight ahead. Just as Daz had predicted, there was another porthole.  
Z hesitated before stepping through the void of darkness at its centre. He remembered what had happened the last time. He took a long, deep breath, drew his pistols and prepared himself. Whatever was ahead of him he knew it could not be good and, in the moments before he entered, he wondered where he would end up.  
Well, he thought, to late to go back now. And with that he jumped in to the porthole, which began the process of transferring every atom in his body to a fictional dimension. 


	2. Ruby and Kiz

Chapter 2  
  
Ruby and Kiz.  
Approximately ten billion light years away, in a alternate dimension, in a land where the sun always shines, the flowers are always in bloom and poverty does not exist, sat a king.  
He sat on a throne of gold, in a huge palace with many towers and fairy guardians. He sat in a land that (for almost one thousand years) had not been touched by evil, not been clawed by cruelty and not been scared by violence. It was the world of Disney and the great king was none other than Mickey Mouse himself.  
Mickey climbed down from his throne, tapping his sceptre on the marble floor. "Minnie!" He called in his squeaky mouse voice. "Queen Minnie!" A small golden door opened to his left. "Yes, Mickey?" "We seem to have visitors, tell the fairies to prepare some food, they look hungry, oh and go tell Goofy and Donald will you?" "Certainly Mickey, I'll be back in a minute." "Thanks." Said Mickey and he pulled himself back on to his throne. He didn't get many visitors in the castle, if he did it was usually one of the Disney people, but these were humans.  
He'd have to alert the other fiction dimensions, something was up, or the humans wouldn't be here. Maybe they were delivering a message. Bad news, most probably. Mickey prepared himself, straightening his crown and brushing down his robes.  
He tapped his sceptre again and a small fairy flew down, dropping a plate of sandwiches on a small golden table beside his throne. Mickey picked one up, taking a large bite and brushing away the crumbs. The humans were approaching and it worried him. It was not just the prospect of bad news, the humans were armed and dangerous and they did not look happy.  
  
Kiz and Ruby were not happy. They had just trekked across a large part of the Magic Kingdom and they had used a dimension porthole to get there. They had already had to battle against a group of Dark Warriors and they were in the Magic Kingdom, the land of peace!  
They did not mind fighting however, for although they were both girls (one seventeen, the other thirteen) they were trained well, tough and heavily armed.  
Both of them were equipped with body armour, Kiz wielded magic stars (steel star shaped throwing blades with diamond tips, perfect for cutting through even the toughest armour) that would shred the enemy to pieces before magically returning to Kiz's belt like a boomerang. She had thirty and, since they always came back, she never ran out.  
Ruby was armed with a huge steel sword almost two metres in length, that could cut through virtually anything. Great for close combat and, as Ruby liked to get up close and personal, the perfect weapon for her.  
  
Ruby and Kiz had been trekking for hours and finally they had almost arrived at Mickey and Minnie's castle. It was huge, about as tall as the Eiffel Tower, and a deep shade of blue (anyone who's been to Disney land will have seen the 'copy').  
The huge golden doors swung open slowly, controlled by some magical force. Ruby and Kiz entered, a long red carpet rolled out in front of them, stopping at the throne. They continued forwards and stopped by the steps leading to the thrones of Mickey and Minnie. "Humans, what brings you here?" Asked Mickey. Kiz stepped forward. "We bring bad news, your highness." Mickey sighed. He knew it. "What news do you bring?"  
This time Ruby answered. "It is the Dark Forces, they have begun to take control over the fictional realms! Some have even morphed into human form and they have transported themselves to the human worlds, looking for the Crystal Element. If we don't stop them soon they will take over the Magic Kingdom. We have already fought of several Dark Warriors on the way here."  
"The Crystal Element, if they find that their leader will become immortal!" Mickey spoke the truth, the Crystal Element was a magical emblem that used to fill the hole in Mickey's sceptre, it was stolen some years ago and never retrieved. The Dark Forces were yet to find it, but when they did they would undoubtedly take control of all the dimensions, fiction and reality.  
"We must find it before the Dark Forces, Ruby and Kiz, search the fiction worlds." At that moment a small golden door opened to his left and in came Minnie, Goofy and Donald, each carrying a silver platter of food. "Donald and Goofy will help you, but for now you must eat, you are most probably starving hungry from your trek."  
Ruby and Kiz nodded eagerly, tucking in to the delicious food. All of it was fictional of course, but it seemed totally real, better than real, in fact. Minnie clapped her hands and four little fairies flew down as if from nowhere, carrying two more plates, one holding food, the other wine. Two more fairies followed carrying two long staffs, each fitted with a diamond tipped blade.  
"Goofy, Donald, here are your weapons. You shall accompany Ruby and Kiz on their journey." Donald and Goofy took the weapons from the fairies, twirling them expertly. "Hooray! An adventure! We've not been on one of those for years!" Said Goofy happily. Donald did not look so happy about it. "But I hate Dark Warriors, you know I do!" "No arguing!" Said Minnie "your both going!" She turned to Kiz and Ruby and said gently. "You ready to go yet?" "Sure!" Said Kiz. "Let's go kick some Dark Warrior butt!"  
  
Twenty minutes later Kiz was not quite so eager. "This place is huge!" She complained as the four of them wondered on through the maze of hedges. "Why can't we use transport or something?" "Don't worry, we're nearly at the porthole, just a little way to go." Said Goofy, trying to cheer her up. It didn't work. "Oh, I just wish that..." Kiz looked up and the remark died in her throat. Dark Warriors. Not just any Dark Warriors either, but Centaurians.  
All the Dark Warriors are ranked. The smallest (and the least feared) are called Bodbods. Next there are the Skulloids, the next highest are the Kocoos and then the Centaurians. The very biggest monsters are the Coogas, but the very biggest of them all is the Dark Forces leader, the Mulldack.  
These Centaurians were about medium size, there were six of them and they each carried a hulking axe or scythe. "Uh oh," Breathed Donald, raising his staff blade. "This does not look good." Kiz drew a handful of star-blades, Ruby unsheathed her sword.  
Quickly and without warning the biggest Centaurian swung a lamppost- sized scythe at them, at the same exact moment Kiz threw five of her diamond tipped star-blades. One of the blades hit the scythe, causing it to bounce back, the remaining four cascading into the monster's chest.  
Ruby felt her brain screaming at her, 'now! Now! Strike while the iron is hot! Go now!' She did. Spinning her sword on her fingers, she let it reach an immense speed, before jumping into the air and sending her blade slicing through the creature's stomach. The Centaurian fell to the ground, disappearing in a cloud of darkness.  
The other Centaurians were left completely dazed. They could hardly believe their mighty leader had been felled by two girls a dog and duck. Now was the time to strike with full force. Donald and Goofy rushed forward, each slicing a Centaurian with their staff blades. Kiz let rip twenty stars, pinning two of the monsters and Ruby punctured the armour of the fifth creature with her mighty sword.  
Nevertheless, the Centaurians were not finished yet. Spinning his giant axe, one of them thwacked Donald unconscious, he was about to finish the job when two blade-stars pounded into his chest, finishing him in an explosion of darkness. The third Centaurian was unlucky enough to get his head in the path of Ruby's deadly blade. No further explanation is necessary.  
Goofy took out the fourth, while the fifth and sixth were finally finished of by a flurry of blade-stars and the awakening of an enraged Donald.  
The Dark Warriors were finished. The gang had done well and, not to far in the distance, they could see the porthole, shining brighter than a well-polished chunk of sunshine.  
  
The battle had begun. Each side with a common goal. Find the Crystal Element. Little did Mickey know that the Dark Leader (only know as the Mulldack) had already found it. The tricky bit: retrieving it. It was quite possible that the Crystal Element would break and the Mulldack could not afford to let that happen. The Crystal Element was his only of regaining his former power and taking over the dimensions.  
  
The Mulldack ground his virtual teeth. Things were not looking good; Kiz and Ruby were scouring the dimensions for any trace of the Crystal Element, Goofy and Donald were back in action and a troop of his Centaurians had just been defeated.  
But no matter. It did not affect the overall plan. He was concentrating his full force (some twenty thousand Dark Warriors) on collecting Dark Crystal (a substance which, when put through a certain procedure, would throw up Dark Seeds, each of which would usually produce around five new Dark Warriors) his warriors working at the pace they were, his force should multiply by five every week. He planned to attack the Magic Kingdom within two months, which would mean he'd have an attack force of some eight hundred and twenty thousand Dark Warriors. More than enough to conquer Mickey's castle.  
He also had a backup plan. A scout team of three hundred Dark Warriors were scouring the fictional dimensions, searching for associates. The Dark Forces had already joined up with several evil comrades including the notorious Dr. Neo Cortex (Cortex: main villain in the Crash Bandicoot games for PSOne, PS2, Xbox, Gamecube and Game Boy Advance) a terrible group of Vogons (Vogons: villains in The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy series of books) and even a Necromancer! (Necromancer: Evil sorcerer from the books Sabriel, Lirael and The Abhorsen)  
These people were already forming another army and if thing went to plan by the time of the battle the Mulldack would have over one million troops.  
At that moment the Mulldack was lurking in the highest tower of his castle in the Dark Kingdom, his soul residing in a virtual body the Mulldack had had built. He hovered slowly, his holographic body flickering with static. The Mulldack used to have a real body, but Mickey took it from him when he took back the Crystal Element in a huge battle now named The Battle Of Disney Creek over one thousand years ago.  
He used to be a human, but he was corrupted by the power of Dark Crystal and created himself a new and powerful body from its processed substance.  
But now, now he would regain the Crystal Element, bring back his old body and conquer the dimensions. First, though, he had to get hold of the Crystal Element. That was tricky. He knew where it was, but he couldn't go get it, not in his virtual form and he couldn't send out a retrieval team, they might break it. He had to use brainpower, he had to use cunning and that, coincidently, is what he was good at.  
  
Like it so far? Please review! Its my first ever fic, so say what you mean and mean what you say! If you don't, suggest what could be done to make it better. Also Z is pronounced ZEE, NOT ZED! Thank you!  
~Z~ 


	3. Through The Looking Glass

Hi! Z here, finally, the next chapter's up! YAY! Sorry its been so long, I already had the chapter done actually, its just that I'm really, really lazy.  
  
Disclaimer: Yay! The dreaded disclaimer! Anyway, I do not own anything in this story except the plot and me (good to see I still own myself) anyway, lets get on with it, chapter 3, hope you like it!  
  
Z  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Through The Looking Glass.  
Z was unaccustomed to change. He hated it, though there seemed to be an awful lot of it around lately.  
He had arrived from his journey through the Fiction Dimension Port in a giant pen and now, well, he didn't know where he was. His second go through a porthole wasn't so bad, he recovered quicker and the shock factor wasn't so high. Instantly his hands reached for his pistols and slowly drew them. He held them at waist height and began his descent down the long, winding staircase in front of him.  
They were weird, almost crooked steps, sloping a little to the left. When he finally reached the bottom he discovered a small hole in front of him, so, figuring he had nothing to loose, he jumped into it and began to plummet into the darkness.  
  
He didn't get far. About six metres down Z realised he was falling a little slow. Inhumanly slow, in fact. He was actually floating, as if caught in an updraft, floating down slowly. Things began to float past him, clocks, pieces of furniture, even an armchair that he sat in briefly. Things were starting to get a familiar, a little to familiar for Z's own liking. He knew this, he knew this entire sequence, it was from Alice In Wonderland! He came to a stop minutes later. He seemed to be sitting in the fireplace of a small room. There was a table in the middle and a tiny door at the far side. Its knob seemed to have a face.  
Z stood, brushing some soot from his clothes; he holstered his guns and walked cautiously towards the door. "Hello!" Said the doorknob, "I'm..." "Yes, I know who you are! You are an insignificant little door!" "Well!" Said the door, quite taken aback. "There's no need to be nasty I'm just trying to be..." "Oh shut up! I know the whole thing! I can't get through you so you tell me to drink from the bottle so I do, then I go all big and I start crying, well not in this tale, Cinderella!" And, drawing his guns, Z blasted the door of its hinges and slid through the newly made hole in the wall.  
Z was angry, fear and hatred rising inside him, only to clash horribly, making him nervous and twitchy. Ahead of him Z could see a small party of people dancing around a fire, a dodo leading the pack.  
Z did not like this. It was all way to weird for him. So he decided he'd obliterate everything that got in his way. "Hey!" He wondered up to the dodo and smirked at his little blue waistcoat. "Don't you know dodos are extinct?" And with that he blasted the hell out of him.  
  
He only had one option now. The forest and he knew all to well what was in the forest. Tweedly Dee and Tweedly Dum (Note to self: Check spelling. Any suggestions?)  
He was all to right. They were sitting upon a log telling Alice a story. Alice? Alice? But Alice dosen't exist! Oh well, go with the flow.  
Z considered blasting them in the back, then setting the forest alight, but no. He decided he'd just ignore this part. Too Late. Alice saw him. "Over here!" She cried. "Over here! You wouldn't know a way out would you?"  
  
"No!" Z shouted back, but she was already coming over, so he ran for it.  
He couldn't stand this! His brain couldn't stand this! He would have passed out had it not been for the thought of waking up with the Cheshire Cat staring at him. That was defiantly more than he could bare.  
He ran. He ran far through the forest, never looking back. He didn't notice the paving stones, or the arrow in the ground, he didn't notice a solitary smile floating in the trees, he didn't even notice the entrance to the Queens maze. He just ran on and on and on.  
  
Z skidded to a halt. A shining pane of glass was hanging in front of him. For a moment he considered blasting it, but then changed his mind and collapsed into it instead. The glass shattered with an almighty crash, sending him plummeting into darkness.  
  
He awoke in a bed. Please no, he thought, please God no, what had he done now? He looked to his left and then to his right. The bed was a single. He breathed a sigh of relief and stood. He was fully clothed. He breathed a second sigh of relief. He looked across the room and soon discovered it was a girls room. He gasped in horror. Whose room? He wasn't waiting around to find out.  
He quickly checked his guns. They were intact. Good. He left silently, easing the door shut behind him. He ran down the corridor and opened another door. It led to a library. He accessed the situation and decided to hide behind a large oak bookstand.  
Z sat hunched against the shelf. He felt better, after the dream he had...Oh No! The dream! Of course, it had been no dream, he would have liked to have thought so, but the truth was obvious. He had been in Alice In Wonderland! He had been INSIDE it! Was he going crazy? No. He remembered Daz, he remembered the Fiction Dimension Port.  
He had been IN the forest he had MET Alice, he had even gone THROUGH the looking glass and he remembered every bit of it like a disgusting, filthy nightmare! But he knew that he had been INSIDE it, there was no question about it, it was all too real to be a dream.  
He had a sudden jolt of recognition. He was most probably still in fiction now! But where was he? Girls bedroom, corridor, library...he looked around and checked the stairs, they went down in spirals, as did the floor, a spiral library... there was no mistake about it, he was inside a book he had once read, the Abhorsen trilogy.  
That meant Lirael was here! And most probably the Disreputable Dog and Mogget to! (Lirael, the main hero in the book Lirael and the Abhorsen; Disreputable Dog, her dog friend who helps her; Mogget, a little white cat, who's actually an evil creature bound by a magic collar) He had to meet them; some of his favourite fictional characters...No! He had to concentrate on the main goal, getting home. He didn't care where he went now, back to Earth or back to Blitzen City, just as long as he went back to reality. Back to reality? That sounded funny, like that film, back to the future. Z smiled and stood, he had to find a way out.  
  
Lirael had had a rough day. The Clayr (The name of Lirael's community) had given her the job of librarian. It may sound easy, but librarian was no pushover. The library was known to be a dangerous place. Many monsters, horrors and magical items often fell through portholes and there were many mysterious locked doors in the library.  
Lirael sheathed her librarian's knife and pushed open the door to her room. As soon as she entered she knew something was wrong, gut instinct. There was an in print on her bed; someone had been laying in it. Also her uniform was scrunched up in the corner, as if someone had kicked it aside.  
She decided to go down to the library for a bit. Maybe that would calm her down.  
She was wrong. No sooner had Lirael began to ease the door open she caught sight of someone moving around inside the library. It was a man, no, a boy or at least a boy with the look and air of a man. She estimated that he was about fifteen years old; he had dark brown hair, very dark and peculiar hazel/green coloured eyes. He wore a strange sort of waistcoat and ruffled trousers, holsters to, carrying what looked like two long, silver pistols. Not good. Lirael was armed with only a knife. She considered going back for help, but the boy had already spotted her.  
  
"Come out with your hands up and don't try anything funny!" Melodramatic, thought Z, but it got the right response. A young girl, fourteen, maybe fifteen years of age opened the door slowly. She wore long brown hair down to her shoulders and was extremely pretty.  
Z stared openly. Now, now, he told himself, don't get carried away, first rule of combat, never underestimate the enemy. He saw the knife strapped to her waist, other than that she had no weapons, no weapons that could be seen at any rate. "Lay down the knife. Slowly." Ordered Z. The girl obliged. "Now tell me, what's your name?" "Lirael." Whispered the girl. Z's heart skipped a beat. "Lirael?" It took him a minute to figure it out, but he soon came to the conclusion that this girl had no idea that in three years time she would embark on a huge adventure.  
"Okay, now tell me this, how old are you and are you armed?" "I'm fifteen and no, the knife was my only weapon." "Good. Now, I need a way out of this place. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find, oh, say, a porthole to another dimension?"  
"I don't think so. You could try some of the doors. They're usually locked, but rumour has it that behind some are certain magical warps." Magical warps? Just what he needed. "Okay. Take me to one of these doors."  
Lirael led him down two flights of steps and stopped at a door with a sun symbol engraved upon it. "This doors locked. I've tried to get in myself." She looked him straight in the eye, Z saw she was telling the truth, that was good, the last thing he needed was an ambush. Slowly, he drew his pistols.  
In less than two seconds Z had blasted the door of its hinges, before proceeding down the flight of stairs ahead. The two of them ended up in a dark, dank corridor leading to another door. Z blasted that one to, even though it was unlocked and they wondered on through another corridor.  
Lirael shivered. "You cold?" Z asked, every inch the gallant gentleman. "A bit." Replied Lirael bluntly. "Here." Z handed her a small red pellet. "Swallow it, it'll make you feel better." Lirael was anxious, the pellet could be a sedative, or even poison, but you just didn't argue with a young man who happened to be tightly clutching a pair of pistols.  
She took the pill and swallowed it, instantly she felt a hot flush through her body, the boy had been right, she did feel better and warmer to. "Thank you." She said and then realised that she did not know his name. "Ummm," she started. "May I, ask your name?" "Z. Just Z." Lirael opened her mouth, as if to say something, but the words never left her lips, because at that exact same moment something moved down the corridor in front of them and Z caught the stench of the acrid, metallic taste of Free Magic. YAY! Third chapter finished! I'd just like to say I STILL have to write the fourth chapter and I'm going on holiday for a week now, but it shouldn't be to long till its up. Oh, scary Free Magic! I'd just like to say that the fourth chapter will see the return of Daz, to help thicken the plot! Feeds plot some cabbage sauce, grow faster plot! Faster! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, and you SHALL review! NOW! Anyway, R&R folks! And until next time, Seeya!  
Z 


	4. Dark Land

Hi! Fourth chapter! YAY! In this chapter you'll see what happens to Daz when he falls DOWN into Dark Land. He He! Lots of evil in this chapter! But first I'd like to say thanks to all my reviewers! And also, I do not own anyone I happen to use in this chapter (particularly the Disney characters) and my friend (Daz in this story) though I didn't use his real name so I suppose I can do what I like with him... Anywho, on with the story, hope you like this chapter, I've been on holiday for a week so I'm a little rusty. I actually forgot the storyline of my own fic, so I had to read my own story. I'm not so sad I actually reviewed it though. Anyway, chapter four...  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Dark Land  
  
Okay, right, quick recap on what happened earlier and then back to the story from Daz's point of view, got it? Good. Daz watched as Z spun his silver pistol on the clear surface of the glass floor. Then, without warning, he jabbed it in the centre so it stopped abruptly, pointing to a tube. "That's the one." He said and began to walk towards it. They only got halfway. With an ear-splitting screech the glass beneath them began to shake terribly. "Run!" Screamed Z and dashed to the tube, hurling himself inside. Daz was not so lucky. With another terrific screech the glass lurched sickeningly, catapulting Daz forwards, his momentum more than enough to shatter the glass of the pen and send him plummeting into the inky darkness below.  
Daz swore loudly, but the wind snatched his words away and he had no breath left in his lungs to try again. He couldn't even scream. A large infinite blackness was rushing towards him, but before he even had time to gasp he was hurtling through it. It was ink. Just like in the pen. That was his only thought, but he had no time to think anymore as he was violently shot out of the ink, what looked like solid ground rushing towards him.  
It was not solid ground. Just more fiction the Fiction Dimension Port had rendered 'real' but that didn't stop the pain. "Bloody fiction..." Spat Daz, rubbing his head. He had landed in what looked like a desert. An incredibly large desert. Wherever he looked the desert stretched on, the barren landscape a dull yellow, save the odd cactus or hunk of metal.  
Nasty thoughts of infinite wasteland popped into his head. The most striking one was 'what a horrible way to die' it sure was. And he would most certainly die if he did not find some sort of civilisation as he had no water whatsoever and no food except an out of date packet of peanuts in the back pocket of his lab coat.  
He was also worn out. He needed some sort of shelter or he'd fry alive in the desert sun. Maybe he could use the chunks of metal, he thought. He began to walk wearily to a large cluster of them.  
They looked solid enough, but he'd still fry. Well, he thought to himself, don't have much choice, really. But how was he to get into the metal? It was only then he realised he was still tightly clutching his Emergency Laser Cannon.  
He carefully aimed at a loose piece of metal and put five shots into it. The lasers went straight through. Daz frowned. Gingerly he reached out, expecting the scorching feel of hot metal.  
Nothing came. The metal was a hologram. "Oh fuzz!" Spat Daz kicking out at a large heap of sand. That was it. He was going to die now. There was no hope. To tired to carry on Daz had to force his legs to move. One step after the other, the merciless sun beating down on his forehead.  
  
Hours later Daz gave up. A sand storm was brewing and if he tried to continue he got sand in his eyes. He took of his shirt, but quickly put it back on as the sun tried to roast his back. He looked ahead. Everything was blurred as the sand rushed at him viciously, tearing at his shirt and discarded lab coat. He had already eaten the out of date peanuts, but they had done nothing except make his mouth dryer.  
He needed water very soon or he'd die of dehydration. He decided he'd lie down, amid the swirling sands of this unnamed desert. He decided he'd call it Desert Daz. It sounded rubbish, but it was the best he could come up with due to the state he was in. He'd wait for night to come.  
Night didn't come. For it never does in Dark Land, hence the name. The sun stayed positioned where it had always been, just above the horizon, beaming down on him.  
A lizard scuttled past. Daz reached out for it, but it was to fast. He let loose another couple of blasts from his laser cannon, but the Sand Lizard hurried on, disappearing into a small hole. It was probably just another hologram anyway. To trick the mind and ensnare the senses. Well he wasn't falling for it.  
Daz crawled forward another few feet. Then collapsed, exhausted. He lay still. Half staring into the huge red sun ahead. The sand storm whipped up again, catching him unawares and depositing a large amount of sand into his mouth. Daz spat disgustedly. Not only was the sand unpleasant, it was also scorching. Then he fainted.  
  
Sleep was good. But unconsciousness was not. It was like sleep only without dreams. Nowhere to escape to. When Daz awoke he was not alone. Only a couple of hundred feet away three figures were walking calmly towards him. They walked together, but thanks to the sand and the blazing sun (only just behind the figures) he could not see clearly and the three people were terribly blurred. The only thing he could actually see was that the middle figure had an extremely large head. Either that or he had huge ears. To the left of the middle figure stood a thin, taller one and to the right stood a smaller, squat form. They were approaching slowly, but they held a large drinking bottle, which gave Daz the strength to carry on.  
In minutes they were upon him. The first thing they did was roll him over, check his pockets and confiscate the laser cannon. Daz tried to reach out and get it back, but he no longer had the strength. They turned him over again and for the first time he saw them clearly, looming above him. He nearly died of shock.  
He knew who they were instantly. The middle figure was none other than Mickey Mouse. The figure to his left was Goofy and to his right stood Donald Duck.  
For a moment he thought he was going mad, but then he remembered the Fiction Dimension Port.  
But wait... they were different. They weren't like they usually were. Mickey was definitely changed. His pants, which were usually a dark red, were a horrible combination of deep black and stone grey and ragged like a tramps clothes. His eyes were a blood red and his teeth were more fangs than anything else.  
Goofy also wore black and grey clothes with a long cape, extremely tattered and full of holes. Donald's clothes were so ragged they were almost useless, but more terrifying than any of this was the huge, menacing axe Donald carried. He tilted it slightly so it shone threateningly in the blazing red sun, giving the impression he knew how to use it. And had used it before.  
These weren't the characters he knew, but nevertheless he was willing to accept help from anyone. Goofy offered him the bottle with a small ominous chuckle.  
Daz took it, only briefly thinking about the prospect of poison, before he took a massive swig. After all, what did he have to loose?  
  
Daz awoke sometime later. He could feel an awful bumping and his backside hurt like hell. He opened his mouth and tasted it instantly. Tranquillizer. They had put a sedative in the water. It was then he realised where he was. And why there was an awful bumping.  
He, Mickey, Goofy and Donald, were sat astride a large lizard, its skin a dark yellow, camouflaging perfectly with the desert. The Lizard was about the size of two cows and was running through the desert at a tremendous speed.  
"Oh." Said the Mickey Mouse thing. Its voice had a strange hiss to it, as if it were rolling its words. It sent a shiver down Daz's spine. "Your awake. We weren't expecting you to wake up for quite a while. Here, have some more water." "Er, no thank you." Said Daz tentatively. He tilted his head to one side. He didn't want anymore water, but he also did not want to offend the creature. There was a large glinting dagger fixed onto its ragged belt. "Have it your way." Said the thing, lowering the water bottle. "We've almost arrived, anyway."  
The Lizard scuttled on, never tiring, even in the immense heat of the desert. Daz didn't realise until he looked behind him, but more lizards were appearing. One by one they came, catching up with Daz's lizard, only to fall back a few feet, as if in formation. In a matter of minutes a few hundred lizards had appeared, forming an orderly group behind them. Astride each lizard sat a Dark Warrior or some other evil. Mostly goblins, the odd troll appearing.  
The formation seemed to be moving to the edge of a large cliff, getting closer every minute. Then they stopped. Daz peered forward, over the lizard's reins; he stared in horror at what he saw. A colossal palace lay before him. More like a castle than anything. It was giant. Its massive towers stretching upwards, just coming level with the cliff edge of the huge pit the castle had been built into. Then Daz remembered where he'd seen the citadel before. It was an exact replica of the palace in Disney Land! Well, save for the fact that it was about fifty times bigger.  
Then the lizard lurched forwards and Daz's stomach turned at the thought that it had just jumped of the cliff edge. It landed about five foot down on a narrow platform that led on to a long winding pathway down into the pit. The lizard took to the pathway immediately, scuttling down it at such a speed that Daz thought it could never maintain its grip. But, miraculously, it did. The other lizards followed, one by one.  
As they continued down the path Daz saw Dark Warriors, hundreds of them, working down below. Moving large blocks of stone away and digging for what looked like a strange dark crystal. "Where are we going?" Asked Daz. "Where do you think?" Smirked the Mickey creature gesturing to the citadel. Daz suddenly felt very nervous. The palace was pitch black in colour; immensely menacing in a way that suddenly and inexplicably made you fear it. Even if you were not actually frightened.  
The lizard formation continued into the pit, eventually reaching the bottom, where a group of mounted guards checked their identities. This is one well guarded palace, thought Daz.  
A few minutes later they were at the palace's doors. Or gates. Highly secured gates. At least a hundred Dark Warriors guarded them, split into groups of five.  
The Mickey creature flashed an identity card at a guard who instantly ran of, heaving a lever to one side. The gates began to open. Daz had never seen such a secure operation. Bolts and locks flew aside, large bars of bronze and silver slid away and as soon as the doors opened twenty more guards rushed through. Weapons at the ready. Seeing it was just a lizard patrol they stepped aside. And the lizards proceeded through the open door way.  
  
The palace was amazing. Every single hall had a guard in it. Every door was key coded. One thing was for sure, whoever owned this palace they did not want intruders. The lizards were taken to stables, so they had to go on foot from there. Daz soon realised he was guarded by at least fifty Dark Warriors.  
The walk through the palace was long. Many of the corridors looked the same and Daz would have found it impossible to retrace his steps. Yet another clever defence.  
He was led up a long flight of stairs. To keep himself from dying of boredom he counted the steps. Five thousand. Five thousand steps exactly. They had reached the highest room of the highest tower.  
The Mickey creature stopped, gesturing to Donald who stepped forward carefully opening the large brass doors in front of him. The doorway led to a long room, stretching forwards to a large metal ring, on which was projected the most monstrous thing Daz has ever seen. It looked like a giant beast/ghost. It had huge claws and teeth and its body was only half finished, the rest of it still inside the projector.  
"So" it roared, its voice like nails on a black board. "You have finally come. My one chance of finally regaining the Crystal Element and returning to my former body. What is your name?" "Daz." He stuttered. He wasn't afraid of the creature. It was actually quite ridiculous, but it seemed almost to generate fear. Like the palace itself. He was already sweating.  
"Oh great and powerful Mulldack!" Screeched the Mickey creature. "We bring you a new servant! The one who will guide you to the Crystal Element!" The Mulldack snorted. "You shall be rewarded. But now bring the wine! We must celebrate." "Yes master, of course master!" The Mickey thing bowed low, scuttling to a nearby table and bringing a large red bottle of highly polished glass.  
"But I don't want to be your servant!" Screamed Daz. "SILENCE!" Roared the Mulldack. Then, in a quieter, more gentle voice. "Please, do not bother yourself with speech." The Mulldack coaxed, his tones sugar sweet. "Drink some wine. You must be terribly thirsty." Daz hesitated. It had been sedative before, would it be poison this time?  
The Goofy creature offered him the bottle. Daz took it. He didn't really have much of a choice. He drank deeply. Instantly the real Daz was gone. His eyes glazed over and turned a pale, putrid grey; his hands stopped shaking and went rigid. His back straightened to attention and he bowed low to the Mulldack.  
"Now." The Mulldack screeched, his sugary voice gone without a trace. "Find me the Crystal Element and when you do, bring it back here without a scratch, you understand? Not a scratch!"  
"I understand Master and for you and only for you, I obey."  
  
Oh No! Daz has been intoxicated by that terrible liquor and is forced to serve the Mulldack! Next chapter will feature Z and Lirael when she tries to make a brake for it! Oh No! Everything's going wrong for the good side! I hope the good Mickey Mouse comes up with something soon! Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed this and chapter 5 is coming soon! Until then Bye! And keep reviewing! Seeya!  
  
Z 


	5. Two Heads Are Better Than One

Next chapter! And I've been waiting to write this chapter! Chapter five, that's a milestone. Okay, onward to chapter ten! But first... I OWN NOTHING! There? You happy? Was this your plan? To reduce a poor, defenceless author to tears? Was it? WAS IT?! Okay right, as I said (sob) I own nothing, except me! Yay! I do own something! Also, in reply to your reviews... EAST SECTOR GOD, if that is your real name, Daz has to become evil, as it is crucial to the (increasingly complicated) plot. I think... Or was that just me being evil again? Well that was all the questions, I think. One question? God, I need more reviewers... Okay, onward to chapter five! He he, I'm gonna enjoy writing this chapter!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Two Heads Are Better Than One  
  
Free Magic. Z took a deep breath. He was not mistaken, no one could mistake the metallic tang of Free Magic. "Lirael? I want you to stay behind me. No sudden moves." "What is it?" Asked Lirael, a deep frown creasing her brow. She did not trust this intruder. "Free Magic." Lirael gasped. She knew a little Charter magic, but not enough to repel such power. She just had to hope Z could handle it. If he couldn't, they were both done for.  
Z spun his pistols. Tightly clutching the cold metal, brushing his thumbs gently against it. Free Magic was not good. He didn't know if his pistols would be any use against it. Failing that he could always use the three Concusser Grenades strapped to his belt. The only problem with that being the corridor was very narrow and he would probably end up blowing himself to kingdom come.  
The Free Magic was getting closer. Z drew a knife from his belt and handed it carefully to Lirael. "Take it." He said, his voice struggling to remain calm. "Take it. Defend yourself if need be, but don't try anything. You're of no use to me. I will kill you if I have to." His voice remained stern and cold and he put particular emphasis into the word 'kill' but truthfully he had not intention to actually kill the girl. Well, not unless he had to anyway.  
Lirael handled the knife carefully, sliding it into her belt. Z stepped forward. A shadow was appearing on the wall, a woman like shape with large hooks for hands...  
Oh God! A stilken, why'd it have to be a Stilken? A large bulk began to round the corner, Z stood rigid, his hand out straight, trigger finger at the ready. Then it appeared. A huge creature, a least three feet taller than Z himself, the figure of a woman, but with arms as long as its legs and menacing hooks on the end.  
It barely had time to screech out a battle cry before Z put twenty shots into it. Lirael stood back slowly drawing her knife. The Stilken fell back, shocked, but not badly harmed, although Z noticed pieces of some sort of white substance sinking to the floor.  
It lurched forwards, hooks ready. It swiped at Z, again and again, making for his throat. Z skipped nimbly backwards, putting shot after shot into the Stilken's head. The Stilken swept forward, slicing its hook at Z's torso. Quickly and accurately Z put a couple of rounds into the Stilken's hooks, battering them backwards.  
The tang of Free Magic made him want to throw up, but he was lost in battle now, fighting for his life.  
The Duel X lasers were beginning to burn through the magic now, the Stilken slicing faster, putting the full power of its body into the hooks. The Stilken screeched, a terrible long drawn out screech. Z wondered why, loosing concentration for a vital second. The Stilken struck.  
It brought down its full power into the hook, urging it on. Z realised what was happening a moment to late. He managed to skip away, but not quite quick enough. The hook came down on his shoulder, just catching its edge. It left no more than a graze, but the force of the blow was enough to knock Z to the ground. Not good.  
The Stilken raised its hook, in a triumphant pose, ready to strike the finishing blow. He wasn't quick enough. Z twisted round onto his back and, raising his pistols, he blasted the Stilken's hook backwards.  
Lirael was looking on with her hands to her mouth. She had to do something. She couldn't just let an innocent life be lost.  
But Z was no innocent life. And he was not going to just stand back and lose it. The Stilken, its hook blown backwards, screamed an awful scream. It did not have the desired affect. Z took the chance and charged his guns to full power, then, scampering to his feet, blew the Stilken's head from its shoulders in a massive explosion of white.  
Z was just about to holster his pistols when he noticed that the Free Magic seemed to be regenerating itself. "Lirael!" He screamed. "Get down! Back down the corridor! Go, GO!" Lirael went. Quickly.  
Z plucked a Concusser Grenade from his belt and, removing the pin with his teeth, hurled it down the corridor. Then he ran for it. Crouching low he grabbed Lirael, who was waiting near the remains of the blasted door, and hurled her to the stone floor.  
The grenade bounced against the walls of the corridor, stopping at the Stilken's feet. "3, 2, 1." Counted Z.  
'KAKA-KAKA- BOOM!' The grenade went of, the explosion growing and growing, until Z thought it would reach them. It didn't. Just. The corridor, however, was not so lucky, massive chunks of stone had dented the floor and half the ceiling had caved in. Z began to clear the rubble with his pistols, blasting it into pebbles. "Right. Now, the porthole, where is it?" "I don't know exactly, but I read somewhere there was a garden here. I think there's a porthole somewhere." "There better be." Truthfully, Lirael didn't know what was down in the garden, though she hoped it was a porthole now. She'd just seen what this boy could do with those pistols. She didn't want the same thing to happen to her.  
"You lead." Said Z gesturing towards the tunnel ahead and bowing low. The gesture was to menacing to be polite.  
Lirael stepped forward, handling the knife carefully. She walked ahead, Z following her closely.  
  
The little garden was beautiful. The grass was long and lush and the flowers heads were all bent in the direction of the tree and pool in the middle, its waters sparkling like a crystal stream. Z stepped forward, crushing the untouched grass of the garden. Something was not right. There was no wind, the grass did not sway the way it should, the tree did not rustle and all was silent. No creatures or wildlife. Eerily silent, as if death was not close by.  
"This is it?" Z asked, nodding towards the garden. "Yes, this is it." "Good. Oh and you know, I can't let you go back." "What?" Lirael was shocked, she hadn't thought of that. She'd assumed he'd let her go. Stupid, she thought, stupid! "I'm sorry, but if you go back and tell someone... well, you don't know who's around. Listening." Z looked around the garden absently, as if someone could be listening right there and then. "But, you have to let me go! I won't tell anyone, I swear, I hardly speak anyway, please!"  
Z thought about it. He knew from the book that she didn't speak often. But could he take the chance? It could be the difference between life and death. "No. You're coming with me." "NO!" Screamed Lirael, tears springing into her eyes. "I will not!" "You will! Because I say so!" Z shouted back, more forcefully.  
"NO! I'll never leave the Clayr!" Lirael raised the knife. Z skipped forward, raising a gun, but before he could do anything, Lirael was upon him, the knife glittering in the garden's artificial sun.  
  
Kiz and Ruby were not doing well. Along with Goofy and Donald they'd first travelled to Disney Creek, where the first Great Battle had taken place. All they'd found were the ruins of the once great city of Treeus Margon, plenty of corpses and the few soldiers that were left.  
Among them were the legendary Jak and Daxter (you know them! There the main characters in the games Jak and Daxter and Jak II for the PS2. Jak is like a humanoid creature with guns and Daxter is a little ferret thing with a bad attitude) who were protecting a fallen soldier.  
Kiz ran up to them. "What happened? Why is Treeus Margon destroyed?" Jak turned to answer. "They came from the hills. Awful creatures, the ruins are crawling with them. They're everywhere. They defeated the soldiers and overrun the city. There are only a few of us left."  
Ruby, Goofy and Donald caught up with Kiz. "Yes, but what are these creatures?" Asked Ruby. "Metalheads." Jak spat into the mud, his face contorted with an awful grimace. (Metalheads are the evil monster creatures from Jak II for the PS2; there are different types of them, ranging from cat like ones, to ones that can turn invisible and even scorpion ones.)  
"There are thousands of them." Jak continued. "Hundreds of thousands." "Part of the Mulldack's army no doubt." Said Kiz. "Brrrrrrr! Metalheads!" Donald shivered and clutched his staff/sword. "Who's this soldier?" Asked Goofy. "I found him just outside Treeus Margon, badly injured by a Metalhead, so I was protecting him."  
There was a sudden and terrible roar from the hills above, which echoed ominously through the creek. "Metalheads!" Screamed Daxter. "Everybody! Stand to attention! Do something!"  
Goofy and Donald equipped their staff/swords, while Kiz drew her Star Blades and Ruby unsheathed her own sword. Jak reloaded his gun and crouched down. Everything was silent.  
The wind billowed through the creek. Stones creaked underfoot. Then they attacked. The Metalheads came charging over the hill, about a dozen of them, cat like in appearance. Jak fired his gun, quickly reloading, before firing again at the approaching Metalheads.  
Kiz through her Star Blades, catching three of the Metalheads of guard, their corpses disappearing in a flash of purple light. Jak fired another shot, hitting a Metalhead on the shoulder and sending him spiralling into the Creek below.  
More Metalheads poured out from holes in the hills above. Then they attacked Jak. About six of them, all together.  
The first one leapt at his face, only to be blasted away by Jak's gun. The other Metalheads decided that wasn't the best plan, and quickly began to circle Jak. Ruby rushed forwards, slashing a Metalhead to the ground with one tremendous blow.  
The Metalheads leapt. But not at Jak, nor Ruby, they leapt at the dying soldier. A Metalhead raised a claw and before anyone could do anything it sliced the soldiers throat out.  
Jak blasted one of the Metalheads before it could get away, the other two carrying the soldier's corpse back to their lair in the hills. "Well." Began Jak, "There's no need to stay around here anymore. Come on, let's go before they decide to attack again." "I'm with Jak!" Said Daxter quickly, scurrying up onto Jak's shoulder. "Let's get out of here before those monsters regroup!"  
"Okay," agreed Kiz. "But where should we go? The hills are swarming with Metalheads and they broke the bridge across the creek in their attack." "We could go back through the porthole?" Goofy suggested. "I know another porthole, we won't have to risk going across the creek." Said Jak.  
"Ok. Where is it?" Asked Ruby. "Well, that's the bad news. We'll have to travel through the ruins of Treeus Margon and climb the cliff at the other side." "But that's more dangerous than going across the creek!" Argued Donald. "Well, if you want to chance it, we'll go across the creek. Anyone got any rope?" Jak gestured down, to the three hundred feet drop into the giant centre of the creek, where the first Great Battle had once taken place.  
"Er, on second thoughts, maybe we should go through the city." Said Donald. "After all, how bad can it be?"  
It was bad. Very bad. The six of them soon arrived at the ruins of Treeus Margon. A once great city, its huge, protective stonewalls, which had been broken down by the Metalheads, were now just a heap of rubble. The great centre tower had been set alight, the flag at the top of its remains still burning in the setting sun.  
The houses, shops and market places had either been demolished or set alight, citizens were mostly hiding, others ignored the roaming Metalheads in their desperation to flee the blaze and others still tried desperately to put the fire out. Most of the fleeing citizens and soldiers had been hunted and killed by the Metalheads; the remaining ones were hiding behind useless pieces of wood and cloth, shivering too much not to be noticed.  
The city was still a danger zone; the place was crawling with Metalheads, buildings were crumbling, trees were falling and fire was spreading. "Okay." Said Jak, trying not to breath in too much smoke. "If we can make it to the cliff on the other side of the city we should be fine, Metalheads won't come after us there, to much effort, all that climbing."  
"Ok, everyone, each of us needs a piece of cloth. Everyone got one? Good. Now, soak it." "What?" Asked Ruby. "Soak it." Said Kiz. "You know, get it wet?" "Oh, right." Everyone proceeded by taking out their water bottles and pouring water over their cloth. "Now," continued Jak, "everyone hold the cloth over their mouths. It'll help repel the smoke." The group hesitated slightly. "Trust me. It'll really help with the smoke." "Okay, lets go." Kiz sounded determined, but the city ahead looked pretty threatening.  
The Metalheads didn't bother them at first, the little ones stayed around the outside of the city. The big ones were further in. They made their way through the ruins, careful not to attract attention to themselves. Nothing happened for a while. A burning tree fell in front of them, but luckily there were no casualties.  
It was when they got further in the problems started. Again the cat like Metalheads began to attack in groups, but this time they were accompanied by smaller scorpion like Metalheads. Not only were these new Metalheads lightening fast, they also had deadly stings on their tails and could jump like hell. Also, their armour was extremely thick and only Jak's gun could bring them down. Another disadvantage.  
"Okay! Move into a circle, they're attacking again!" Jak reloaded his gun and backed towards the four fighters, who were trying desperately to fend of a ferocious group of cat Metalheads. "Stay together! We'll be all right as long as we stay together!" Jak shot another scorpion like Metalhead and backed away further. The group were doing well, particularly when one of Donald's tail feathers had been plucked out and he'd gone on a mad fighting rampage.  
"Okay, we're doing well. Keep going." Famous last words. Just seconds later the six valiant fighters were hit by a onslaught of lasers.  
"Lasers!" Screamed Kiz. "Where did they come..." But her sentence was cut short as Jak grabbed her by the arm, swinging her down behind a large piece of metal. There they lay. All six of them, seeking shelter behind the huge chunk. The lasers kept on coming, hundreds of them each second. And then they stopped. Just like that.  
Kiz poked her head up. There was nothing there. Except a kind of haze, like an air vent or something... "Invisible Metalheads!" Jak exclaimed. "Get down!" He pulled Kiz down and not a second to soon, as a hail of lasers hit the rubble behind them. "They have a natural ability to fire lasers. The only way to tell they're there is to look for the haze in the air." Explained Jak.  
"What do we do?" Asked Ruby. "We keep low and continue through the city. If we wait here they'll call for help." "Okay." Said Goofy. "Then lets go."  
The six of them crawled quickly, through the dust and smoke, away from the Metalheads. Then Kiz realised something. The smoke was getting thicker and they didn't actually know where they were going. "Uh, Jak I..." She never did finish her sentence because at that very same second Jak crawled onto a large (but loose) piece of sheet metal. The metal tumbled over, sending all six of them falling down a huge metal slide.  
Finally the slide came to an end, shooting them out of the other side into a small pit that had once been the foundations of a house. "Hey!" Screeched Ruby. "Where are we..." She did not say any more, but pointed frantically to the edges of the pit, which was lined with at least sixty bloodthirsty Metalheads.  
"I can't believe it! They set a trap! They actually set a trap!" Jak shook his head in wonder. "I didn't think it was within their cranial capacities!" "Shut up about their brains and worry about what ours are going to look like when they get their hands on us!" Shouted Kiz above the roar of the cat Metalheads.  
Jak reloaded his gun and slowly everyone stood up, cautiously drawing their weapons. "I don't think we have a choice. We've got to fight." Whispered Donald. "You don't say?" Smirked Goofy. "Shut up you two, this is no time for arguing!" Said Ruby. "We weren't arguing!" Retorted Donald. "We were just..." But he quickly shut his beak, as the line of Metalheads began to advance.  
"Er, can't we just talk this over?" Offered Jak. "No? Okay then. CHARGE!"  
  
Lirael leapt at Z with such force she knocked him to the ground, his pistols spinning out of his hands. "Let me go!" Screeched Lirael, as Z grabbed her arm in an iron grip, stopping the knife in her hand only centimetres from his chest. Lirael fought courageously, even though she knew she was no match for the boy. Though she did have the advantage, she had a knife and Charter magic.  
Lirael began to whisper something and Z instinctively knew she was summoning Charter magic, probably something terrible. Z lashed out, violently kicking Lirael in the stomach, she bent over, gasping for breath, all thoughts of Charter magic gone. Then he struck her with a quick, but effective punch to the ribs. But not to hard, after all she was only a girl and a full-blown punch would have smashed her rib cage no problem.  
Lirael bent again, this time summoning a quick knockout spell. She sent it whizzing at Z's head and it struck with force. But not enough to actually knock him out. Lirael was disappointed. "Bitch! Your gonna pay for that! I don't take knock out attempts lightly." Z spun around and in one quick movement he grabbed his pistols, turned and fired. The shot wasn't meant to kill Lirael, it only grazed her shoulder, but it was more enough to knock her to the floor. "Give me the knife!" Z commanded. "No!" "Then I'll just have to take it." Z fired a single shot, which hit the knife just above the hilt, spinning it from Lirael's hand.  
"Give it back! You don't fight fair!" "Ha Ha! What do you want me to do? Give you a gun? I doubt you'd even be able to hit yourself with it, let alone me!" He fired another shot, which passed over Lirael's head with a mere inch to spare.  
"Now get up and don't even think about trying anything." Lirael stood shakily, a deep look of hatred etched into her face. Her hand reached for her pocket and she threw down the Emergency Clockwork Mouse onto the floor, uttering the word to bring it to life.  
"I said don't try anything!" Screamed Z, in a blast of anger, he struck the mouse with seven shots, breaking it down into microscopic pieces. Lirael went for her whistle. She didn't care if it cost her her life, she would see to it that the other Clayr were warned of this intruder. She pressed it to her lips and was about to sound it when there was load thud from behind her. Z quickly snatched the whistle, looking around cautiously for the source of the noise.  
"What have you done?" He spat at Lirael. "Nothing. I swear." The thud grew louder, a large shadow appearing on the wall. "The Stilken! Its back, it must have regenerated itself from its remains!" Lirael grimaced, the awful taint of Free Magic filling the air.  
"Quickly! Through the porthole!" Said Z and to his surprise he realised that a huge porthole had appeared behind them, where the garden had been. "No! I'll never come with you! I'd rather die fighting the Stilken!" Screamed Lirael. The Free Magic was getting closer, they didn't have much time. "Have you any idea what those hooks will do to you?" Screamed Z. Lirael breathed deeply. "Okay, I'll come with you, but only because I haven't got a choice!"  
"Good. Now get through that porthole!" Lirael obliged and was gone in seconds. Z checked his pistols were still there. Yep. Then he picked up the knife from the floor and slid it back into his belt, before jumping through the porthole after Lirael.  
  
"CHARGE!" Screamed Jak, blasting the nearest Metalhead. Kiz let fly a handful of Star Blades, slicing the Metalheads to pieces, as Ruby, Goofy and Donald got up close and personal. "We're out numbered ten to one!" Screeched Donald at the Metalheads. "That means we're ten times more likely to hit one of you, and who knows who it'll be?"  
The Metalheads didn't seem so keen on their plan after that remark. "You show them who's boss, Jak!" Said Daxter, nimbly rushing between a Metalhead's legs and tripping him up with a quick bite.  
Ruby dashed forward, slashing and slicing in every direction, like an extremely sharp and dangerous windmill. Goofy and Donald fought in a boring, but effective tic-toc manner and Kiz liked to find a nice high place, like atop a heap of rubble, to attack with her Star Blades.  
The group fought the Metalheads for what felt like an eternity, but was actually only twenty minutes, before they retreated back into the ruins. "YAY! We won!" Shouted Ruby in a triumphant voice. "Er, no we haven't." Said Jak sombrely. "I hate to break it to you, but the Metalheads aren't retreating. They're regrouping!"  
It was true. The Metalheads were coming back now, this time over a hundred of them. "Then lets fight them again!" Said Daxter. "Those metal-headed freaks aren't so tough!" "No." Said Jak. "If we do they'll just keep coming." "So what are you suggesting?" Asked Kiz. "I'm suggesting we make a run for the cliff. They won't follow us up it and if we go now I think we can make it." "Okay. Everyone? RUN!" Screamed Kiz and with that the six of the made a break for it. They scampered out of pit, running as fast as they could without tripping up, the Metalheads in hot pursuit.  
They ran through the ruins, jumping the odd falling tree and heap of rubble, finally making it to the cliff, the Metalheads not far behind. "What do we do? How do we climb it? It's a sheer wall!" Said Ruby in panic.  
  
"Okay." Said Kiz. "Everyone put away your weapons, hang on and get a foot hold!" They did as they were told and everyone managed to get climbing in seconds. And not a moment to soon, as the Metalheads were all ready at the foot of the cliff, snarling up at them.  
"They won't follow us now." Said Jak. "But they will wait below, so make sure you hang on tight, cause if you fall down there the Metalheads will have an early breakfast."  
  
The climb lasted until about midnight, when the group found a small cave in the side of the cliff. Kiz started a fire and Goofy got some food ready. Below them they could still hear the awful roar of the Metalheads.  
"Foods ready." Said Goofy, scooping the soup like mixture into some bowls. Everyone ate hungrily, for it had been a long tiring day. After the food, when everyone was about to settle down and go to sleep, Jak spotted something on the horizon.  
"It looks like a bird." He explained. The creature got closer each second and eventually Jak knew what it was. "Its an Eagle! A Giant Eagle! I didn't even think they existed!" The Giant Eagle seemed to be approaching their cave and, even stranger than that, it seemed to be carrying something in its claws.  
The Eagle landed on the cliff side, about a metre from their cave, a small piece of parchment in its claws. "This is for you." Said the Eagle and with that it flew away, dropping the parchment into Kiz's hands. "It's a note!" She said. "A message to us! Look, it says:  
To Kiz and Ruby. The Mulldack has gathered more forces than we thought and we cannot find the Crystal Element. We fear he has already obtained it.  
In spite of this we must continue to search, but we need more help. So now you must journey to the secret meeting place (which for official reasons has been re-established as Abhorsen's House) to get help.  
You must be there within three days. Make sure you are not followed. We wish you a safe and swift journey.  
Best wishes,  
Mickey Mouse."  
"So." Said Jak. "We travel to Abhorsen's house tomorrow." "Yes." Agreed Kiz. "To the secret meeting place." And with that the six tired warriors lay down to sleep.  
Yay! An extremely long chapter finally finished! So, now they must journey to Abhorsen's house, but who will be there waiting for them? What has become of Z and Lirael? And where the heck is Daz? Hopefully, these questions (or at least some of them) shall be answered in chapter 6! But for now, I must go through the long and laborious task of getting the blooming computer to load properly so I can actually put this chapter up! So, Seeya and keep reviewing!  
Z 


	6. A City Destroyed

Chapter six! Only...1,2,3, 4 more chapters until chapter ten! I'd like to thank you all for your ideas and all who reviewed the last chapter, which was particularly long. I'd also like to thank those of you who reviewed my other story 'a cat, a dog and a goldfish bowl' my other story, which is in the books section under Garth Nix, if you'd like to read it. Anyway, on with chapter six!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
A City Destroyed  
  
The porthole ride wasn't too bad. Well, not for Z, having already gone through several portholes in his journey. Lirael wasn't so comfortable with it. "Charter help me." She moaned as the porthole violently tossed her out of its depths. Z followed after, smartly stepping from the porthole as if his atoms hadn't just been torn apart.  
That wasn't so bad." He said brightly, drawing his pistols. "Speak for yourself." Said Lirael, rubbing her head. "Where are we?" "I don't know." He took a look around. Houses, well, more slums than houses, were squashed in rows down a long narrow street. Z grimaced. "If I didn't know better, I'd say we were in Victorian England." He muttered to himself.  
Lirael heard. "How do you know we're not?" Z pointed down the street. "For one thing, the pedestrians aren't human. They're ears are to long." Then he pointed to the sky, below the rising sun. "And that tower, there's nothing like that in England. Oh and the obvious one. The flying vehicles."  
He glanced above them and to Lirael's astonishment a large hulk of painted metal flew above them. She'd never even seen a car. "Hover Cars!" Z smiled. It had been so long since he'd smiled. "So where are we?" Asked Lirael, still gazing at the wonderful vehicles above her.  
"Haven City." (Haven City is the main area (or hub) of the game Jak II Renegade for the PS2)  
Z looked to his left, an abandoned Hover Car lay at the roadside. A slow smile spread across his features. "I'm going." He said to Lirael. "Where to?" "To anywhere where I can get shelter. Or, even better, a way out of this place. You coming?" Lirael stared at him. "Do I have a choice? Stay here and die, or come with you, the ruthless hostage taker."  
"Okay. Hold tight, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!" Z slid into the cockpit of the machine and started the engine, the aircraft whirring into life. Quickly Lirael climbed in, afraid of being left alone. Alone, like she always had been. Until now...  
Z did not wait any longer, pulling back the acceleration handles; he grabbed the steering device, pushing the aircraft up to full power. The ground sped along behind them as the craft gained speed and height. Z loved flying. Now he was flying once more, twenty-four hours earlier he had thought he might never have the chance to do it again.  
He hit the turbo stick, pulling it back violently. "AHH!" Screamed Lirael, her breath taken by the rushing wind. "Your going to get us killed!" "Oh, pipe down!" Laughed Z.  
Suddenly the craft lurched forwards, hit by the vehicle behind it. "MOVE!" Shouted the man from his hover car. "Get out of the way! Don't you know what's happening?"  
The smile vanished from Z's face. "What? What is it?" "It's the Metalheads! They've punctured the cities gas tanks!" "How long have we got?" "Ten minutes at the most!" Roared the man as his hovercraft sped by.  
Z slammed the turbo stick as far as it would go, racing on through the city. It was a huge city, a massive place, but Z could already see great plumes of gas and explosions going on as gas met fire. The Metalheads were destroying the city! But why? They weren't supposed to. There had to be a greater evil behind all this...  
The craft raced on and then, totally without warning, a terrible screech rang out, a scorching red laser hitting the back of their hover car. "We're being attacked!" Screamed Z, hitting the turbo. "And this damn ship has no weapons! Curse it!" Another laser scraped their craft, almost spinning it.  
Z looked behind him. Two men were piloting a very small craft, with a very large laser cannon. He gasped. The men! Their armour, their masks, the same gang who had attacked him twice back in Blitzen City! They were still following him! Hunting him...  
Z spun the craft quickly, instantaneously reaching into his pocket and retrieving a small velvet bag. "Lirael! Take these!" "What are they?" She asked, gasping as they missing crashing into a neon sign post by a centimetre. "Stones." "Why do you keep a pouch of stones?" "You'll see why in a minute. Now, follow my instructions, when I say, drop the bag's contents out of the craft. Got it?" "Okay." Lirael wasn't sure what a few stones would do, but if Z wanted her to do it she'd just have to do it.  
Z waited, steering the craft onto a long, straight road. "NOW!" He roared. Lirael opened the bag, and threw it out the hover car, the stones fell, catching the immense wind they rushed behind their hovercraft. The stones hurtled backwards, picking up speed and momentum and soaring into the enemy craft.  
The first stones smashed the craft's windscreen, the next knocked out the pilot and the last few punctured the craft's metal and got stuck in the engine, jamming it up. The other man tried to take control, but the engine gave up and the car smashed into a nearby building, disappearing in smoke and flames. "Wow!" Gasped Lirael. "I always carry a few stones when I'm flying. Just in case."  
There was a huge explosion behind them. Z turned to see half of Haven City in flames, the gas had nearly reached them and where there was gas, there was fire.  
Z pumped the turbo stick, dodging a passing police craft. By his estimate they had less than three minutes before the entire city was consumed. This would take some nifty flying.  
Z dodged the traffic ahead, choosing a quicker route across the rooftop of a flaming building. He could see the Wastelands ahead, safety from the fire and smoke. Ahead of them were the Wasteland gates. Why was there traffic there? Oh God, thought Z, the gates are shut; we're locked in the city! The Crimson Guard were heaving at the gate, but it wouldn't budge. Fire had consumed the control room and there was no way to get it open.  
"Okay." Said Z. "The only way out is the gate, but its locked so we're going to have to take a bit of a detour." "This dosen't involve breaking the cities deflector shield does it?" Asked Lirael. "Er, well, yes actually." "But we don't have weapons!" "There might be another way. Hold on tight."  
Z flew towards the shield, a huge protective dome, which covered the entire city. He looked around; two massive control panels seemed to generate the shield, if he could only destroy them...  
Z flew closer, no further than a metre from the shield. "What are you doing?" Screamed Lirael in a mixture of puzzlement and fear. "Your going to get us killed! We'll fry alive if you touch that!" "Lirael?" "What?" "Shut up."  
Okay, thought Z, only ten feet to the first control panel. He plucked a Concusser Grenade from his belt. Five feet. He pulled the pin out. Three feet. He threw it. Perfect! The grenade spiralled threw the air, landing wedged between two large switches.  
Z surged his craft forward, the control panel exploding behind them. Flames from the city were rising now, licking their vehicle, smoke billowing out from below making it hard for Z to see where they were headed.  
The deflector shield flickered at the destruction of the first control panel, shutting of for a few seconds, which was more than enough to allow Z to send the craft flying through, out of the city, Lirael screaming all the way.  
Their ship flew down into the Wastelands, skimming the surface of the sand. "Phew!" Z breathed, smiling again. "That was a close one! Lirael? Lirael?"  
Lirael looked up at Z from the backseat of the craft, where force of their landing had knocked her. "Oh, so you're a backseat girl are you?" Laughed Z. "Lets see what's on the radio..." Z fumbled with the knobs until he got a good reception. Foreigner was on. "Yeah! Foreigner!" Z turned up the volume to full power.  
'Click' the radio stopped. It took a moment for Lirael to realise Z had turned it of. "Why did you..." Then she saw. Ahead of them lay the huge city of the Waste Landers, but it was burning. Metalheads attacking it from every direction, carcases lay everywhere, men fighting the terrible beasts.  
"Metalheads here to?" No. Not just Metalheads. Worse. Over the hill Z could see something coming, spears rising over the horizon, swords and horses, goblins and men astride them, riding into battle with a terrible cry. An army of what must have been over ten thousand fighters. They poured down the hill like water from a jug, charging full on into the city, their terrible battle song ringing out.  
Then the sky rained arrows. "Duck!" Shouted Z above the cry. Z and Lirael stopped the ship, jumping under it as arrows fell like rain, puncturing the ships gas tank and rendering it useless.  
Ahead of them a large golden ball of light appeared. "A porthole! Get to it!" Screamed Z, running forwards despite the arrows. Lirael followed, grabbing his hand, for a moment Z contemplated casting her a dirty look, but there was no time for that. The porthole was closing and a group of Dark Warriors had seen them and where now charging towards them.  
  
Z pulled out a pistol with his free hand, shooting a Dark Warrior of his horse. "We're not going to make it!" Screamed Lirael. "Hold on tight!" Said Z. "Jump!" They dived forwards together, disappearing in a burst of light as they were taken into the porthole.  
  
The porthole spat them out on the shore of a tiny beach, forest to one side, a mighty river to the other. They landed in a rather embarrassing position. "Oh! Er, very sorry..." Said Z, brushing himself down. "No problem." Said Lirael, blushing deeply. There was a loud screech from behind them, Z whipped round, drawing his other pistol.  
A large eagle was flying towards them, a very large eagle, about three times the size of a normal one. The Giant Eagle landed beside Z. "For you." He said bluntly, dropping a piece of parchment at Z's feet. Z opened it, reading aloud.  
"Dear Z.  
Writing this letter is your safe, if shaken, friend Daz. I am heading to a place called Abhorsen's House and I would like to ask you to meet me there, as I have some very important information. I am sure you know it, please by there, if you can, in three days.  
I am heading there myself, where I hope we shall meet again.  
Yours faithfully,  
Daz."  
"So we're going to Abhorsen's House?" Asked Lirael. "Yes." "How long will it take?" "Not long. We're halfway there already." Said Z. "You know where we are?" "Yup. We're on the shore of the great river Ratterlin. Abhorsen's house is not far from here."  
"Then lets go!" Said Lirael confidently, even though she was more than a little weary. "Okay. Lets go." Said Z.  
  
Back in Dark Land Daz himself was to about to leave... "This way." Hissed the Mickey creature. "You sent the letter I trust?" "Yes." Daz replied blankly. "As the Master commanded." "Good, now, come this way, you must leave for Abhorsen's House immediately." "How am I to get there?" "By Paperwing." Said the creature, leading Daz to what appeared to be an extremely large hanger.  
The hanger was a large metal structure, which protruded from the side of the Mulldack's palace. A tiny dot in the side of the massive building.  
The Paperwing sat at the front of the hanger, a large eagle like craft solely made up of paper and magic. As Daz past the bird's face he even thought it winked at him. "Now, get inside." Said the Mickey thing. "The Paperwing will go by itself, you will need to do nothing at all. Also you will have an escort of Gore Crows, just in case you come under attack."  
Daz sat inside the Paperwing as it cascaded down the hanger, bounding into the open air, the wind pushed his hair back, stinging his eyes, but he did not care, he sat emotionless, staring into the sky ahead. As he left, his escort of around three to four hundred Gore Crows appeared before him (Gore Crows are featured in the Abhorsen trilogy of books. They are basically dead crows, infused with the fragment of a dead spirit by a Necromancer to make them obey him. They are harmless alone, though can be used as spies, but deadly in flocks) swarming round his Paperwing in a protective motion.  
And so Daz began his journey to Abhorsen's House, his Paperwing a tiny red dot amongst a massive, swirling black cloud. Daz looked behind him at the Mulldack's palace, a black monstrosity against the forever-setting sun.  
  
And the sixth chapter meets its end! Even more mysteries rising from the dark cloud that is my demented brain, full of what appears to be evil and dust. Evil is winning! Shock, horror! What will the good side do to prevent the Mulldack from seizing victory? And where the hell is that bloody Crystal Element everyone is talking about? More mysteries unravelled next chapter! Wow! Chapter seven? Only a little way to go till chapter ten! And remember, keep reviewing!  
Z 


	7. Abhorsen's House

Hi! Yes, it is I, Z! And I am back for chapter number 7! HOORAH! In today's chapter everyone journeys to Abhorsen's House, but what awaits them there? Okay, I own NOTHING. Good, now on with chapter 7!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Abhorsen's House  
  
The river Ratterlin was immense. Huge waves licked the side of their makeshift boat, as it was tossed over rapids. Kiz looked out at the forests beyond, huge forests, towns and cities just visible through them.  
Kiz, Ruby, Goofy, Donald and Jak and Daxter had left their cave about a day ago. They had found the porthole easily and it had taken them to the river, where they had found a small boat that now carried them to Abhorsen's House.  
The journey was swift, but uncomfortable and rather wet. "How far to the house now?" Asked Goofy. "Not far." Said Kiz absently. "A little further down the river, that's all." "Good." Goofy sighed. "Cause that Daxter don't half stink!"  
The boat turned and twisted left, through a small space where two rocks had fallen, blocking of part of the river. A steep drop followed, splashing gallons of water onto the travellers. Then the boat came to a sharp left turn, took it and slowed down.  
It was as if the boat knew what was ahead. Abhorsen's House, the setting sun behind it, burning fiercely. Kiz shielded her eyes, looking out carefully.  
Abhorsen's House had been built on an island, leaving a good stretch of water on each side to protect it from the dead. The boat edged forwards, if it went to quickly it would be caught by the current and tossed over the waterfall that lurked behind Abhorsen's House. The boat crawled towards the island, bumping against its side, as if to signal that it was time to get out.  
Jak climbed out first, taking out his gun and reloading it. "Remember," he said. "It could be a trap. We don't know who's beyond that door. Be careful and be quite!"  
The six of them crept through the gardens, towards the door. Jak put his shoulder up against it, it was not locked, it swung open. "I don't like open doors. Usually it means whoever's inside is expecting you or is already dead." "But they are expecting us." Said Ruby. "Not this early." Jak retorted. "Maybe they already know we're here." Whispered Kiz. Everyone looked around and quickly stepped into the house.  
It was quite. Very quite. The living room was empty. As was the dining room. "I don't like this." Said Jak, fear creeping into his voice. "Its to quite." "There is an upstairs and a tower." Said Kiz, stroking her star blades. "Then lets go." Ruby drew her sword, climbing the wooden ladder up to the tower. Jak edged forwards, Daxter perched on his shoulder and opened the door a crack. A group of people were standing at the far end of the room, huddled around a large telescope. Jak recognized one of them and let out a sigh of relief, opening the door and placing his gun on the table.  
"Samos!" He threw his arms out in a welcoming gesture. "Jak, my boy!" Said Samos, equally surprised. (Samos is the green sage in Jak and Daxter for the PS2) "And Daxter to! This is a surprise!" Samos turned from his telescope, his staff knocking the floor as he walked. "It's been a long time." "It sure has. What does a guy have to do to get a drink around here?" Said Daxter as he scampered from Jak's shoulder.  
"Ah!" Samos gestured to Ruby and Kiz. "I see they're here! And Goofy and Donald to!" The door swung open for the second time, Mickey Mouse walking in. "Goofy, Donald! Good to see you're here!" He squeaked. The other people in the room began to shake hands with them, telling everyone how they'd got to Abhorsen's House and why they were there. Three people Kiz recognised were Titus, Rikku and Cloud, (these three are characters from the Final Fantasy games, Titus is the main character from Final Fantasy 10, Rikku is from Final Fantasy 10-2 and Cloud is the central character from FF7)  
Other people Kiz recognised were Spyro and Crash and (both have games on the PS1 and PS2) Ratchet and Clank. (Characters from R&C and R&C 2 locked and loaded on the PS2)  
"So, why were we told to come here?" Asked Kiz. "The truth is, we need help." Explained Mickey. "There's no way we can find the Crystal Element in time, the Mulldack already knows where it is. So our only chance is to attack the Mulldack, but our army isn't strong enough. There's no way we can win. So we decided to assemble our forces here, the secret meeting place and see if we can gather more troops."  
"Well, that makes sense. How many troops have we got?" "Well, there's fifteen of us in the room, many more are on the way. We have a great many powerful weapons and a few thousand animals and monsters. A few dragons to. There are about fifty soldiers in the house, there are about three hundred thousand of them back at my palace and we have a few more allies, they're troops amounting to about two hundred thousand. Then of course there are the soldiers at Treeus Margon..."  
"No." Kiz interrupted. "They're all gone. Either dead or injured, a lot of them fled. When the Metalheads attacked."  
"Oh. Well that means our combined force is around five to six hundred thousand warriors, but it just isn't enough. The Mulldack has over a million."  
"So what are our chances of winning?" Asked Ruby. "Not much. The Mulldack would beat us in a full on battle, though we may be able to position our forces strategically."  
"So, what are we going to do?" Mickey thought for a moment. "I think we should assemble as many warriors as possible, then we could plan a surprise attack, we could try and take over the Mulldack's palace, but that would be very risky..." Suddenly Samos spoke, cutting into the conversation.  
"Mickey! Quick, come see this!" Mickey ran to Samos, pressing his eye into the telescope. He did not like what he saw.  
  
Z and Lirael were on their way. After a day or so of trekking Lirael had stumbled across a field of horses by pure chance. Z had managed to calm two of the healthiest horses and soon they were away, riding with the flow of the Ratterlin.  
"Not far now!" Z roared over the sound of rushing water. "Keep up!" "Shut it! You know I don't know how to ride properly!" Snapped Lirael. "Okay, okay! No need to get so up tight about it. Anyway, your doing fine, just keep going! Not far now!" Z rode on, a little faster than Lirael would have liked. She reckoned he did it on purpose. Just to annoy her.  
Z was getting hungry; he hadn't had a meal in a while, so they stopped for a bit, eating what they could find.  
It took them longer than Z had expected to reach Abhorsen's House, about three hours more in total. Then they saw it, a huge house with a tower reaching out towards the sky. "Its beautiful." Murmured Lirael. "Yes." Said Z, but he wasn't looking at the house. "Come on. They're expecting us." They left the horses outside and took the paving stones across the water, to the garden ahead.  
There was a less than warm welcome awaiting them. "Who are you?" Asked Mickey, pointing a large staff at Z. "I'm Z. I was told to come here. By a friend." Z was rather surprised. He hadn't exactly expected to see Mickey Mouse.  
"Don't worry." Comforted Samos. "That girl he's with. Lirael. She's a good guy." "Yeah." Said Z. "We mean you no harm. We were told to come here." Mickey wasn't convinced. "By who?" "His names Daz, a friend of mine." "I've never heard of him, but because the girl is with you and she is unharmed you can come in." Z entered gratefully. He was more than a little surprised at what he saw.  
Characters he knew all around him, there was Jak and Daxter! Ratchet and Clank! Even Goofy and Donald! Amazing!  
"Listen." Said Mickey. "Lirael? Z? We've got a lot to tell you and we don't have much time."  
  
Daz was on his way; Abhorsen's House wasn't far. Only an hour or so to go, his Gore Crow escort had left him awhile back so he could go in without being seen. And he had been armed to, his Emergency Laser cannon taken away and replaced with an XP2 Double Barrelled laser cannon, tucked inside his lab coat, which had been replaced for authenticity.  
He would find and retrieve the Crystal Element. It was his job. The Paperwing sliced through the air, wind whipping at Daz's expressionless face. Not far now. Not far.  
  
AHHH! What will happen next chapter? Chapter 8! Well, lets piece together the information we already have: Kiz, Z, Ruby and Lirael have arrived at Abhorsen's House. But what is the connection between them? Daz is on his way, but why did the Mulldack pick him and why is he journeying to Abhorsen's House? Where is the bloody Crystal Element and why is it so important? And what did Samos see through his telescope and why haven't they got much time?  
All will be revealed next chapter, but before I leave I just wanna take this opportunity to say: HAHAHA! I know what's gonna happen and you don't! Seeya and keep reviewing!  
Z 


	8. Surrounded

Chapter 8 is here! YAY! And this chapter is what I call the 'information chapter' in which lots of secrets are revealed and everyone pieces their info together. If you don't like lots of talking and stuff you won't like this much, then again, if you don't read it you won't understand the storyline properly, so its best that you do read it. Now for the two things I love most! Firstly, I own nothing! YAY! And secondly, a reply to EAST SECTOR GOD'S review! I spelt too wrong? In which part of the story? Or did you mean two? He also says 'the' Mulldack dosen't sound right. In which part of the story was that? I think it's supposed to be 'the' Mulldack...  
He also said Tidus was spelt wrong. I know that already, it was a mistake on my behalf and I actually do know how to spell it. Rikku is from FF10 and FF10-2, but that means Tidus should be dead. I'll explain complicated things like portholes and time structures in this chapter.  
He also said that American readers would know Ratchet and Clank 2 as 'going commando' and not 'locked and loaded' as I put. Well, yes they would, but there are also a great many readers who are English and by putting Ratchet and Clank 2, I figured the more intelligent readers would manage to work it out for themselves. Okay, now on with the story, chapter 8, here I come!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Surrounded  
  
Z and Lirael sat together in Abhorsen's House. They were sitting in the drawing room accompanied by Samos and Mickey, sitting behind a large desk. There were two other seats in the room, Ruby and Kiz sat perched on them, ready for bad news. Mickey decided it was time to begin.  
"Okay. First of all we must tell Z and Lirael what is happening." Z nodded. "Hurry it up to, I'm famished." "Okay." Mickey spoke first. "All these portholes, leading to all the different Dimensions, they're not supposed to be there. I'm sure you would like to know why they keep appearing?"  
Z nodded for a second time. "Yes." Samos took over. "Basically, the time structure has been upset. When you came here you may have noticed our friends Tidus and Rikku? Well, according to the time line Tidus should be dead. But he's not. This can only mean one thing, a huge disturbance in the time structure and that means a huge movement in power. The Mulldack is coming back, he's returning to power."  
"Wait a sec!" Z was annoyed. "What the hell is a Mulldack?" "The Mulldack is a huge beast of immense power," explained Mickey. "There was a time when the Mulldack roamed free, devastating entire worlds. Luckily we managed to contain him, but now he's coming back to power, which is disturbing the time structure and causing these portholes to open up."  
Z nodded. He'd been nodding a lot lately. "I see. So this terrible creature is coming back and that's causing portholes to open?" "Exactly. He's upset the time structure. There are ways of returning it to normal, but first the Mulldack must be dealt with."  
Lirael spoke. "But you know how to stop him, don't you?" Mickey shook his head, his giant ears flapping. "That's our second problem. The last time we fought, at the Battle of Disney Creek, the Mulldack was defeated by an ancient spirit of amazing power. The spirit had been harnessed to a chunk of crystal, about ten centimetres long, and was known as the Crystal Element."  
Samos continued. "The problem is we can't find the Crystal Element. Mickey has half of it, but the other half is missing." Mickey held out his staff, a small piece of crystal was welded onto the end of it, about five centimetres long.  
"If we find the other half we have won. We can defeat the Mulldack. But the Mulldack already knows where the second half is and we don't." "Has he got it yet?" Asked Z. "No, but we know he knows where it is and he's coming for it. Once he gets it he'll be unstoppable."  
Mickey decided a little more explanation was needed. "You see, when we won against the Mulldack the first time, the Crystal Element broke in two. We stored the two half's in different security vaults, but one half just disappeared. We don't really think it was stolen; we have reason to believe it was swallowed up by one of those pesky portholes. So now it could be anywhere, in any one of the countless millions of dimensions. And the Mulldack knows where it is."  
Z took a deep breath. "It certainly is a predicament." Mickey sighed. "Just listen. It gets worse." Samos took over.  
"We have an army. An army of around six hundred thousand soldiers." "Let me guess, they're not enough, are they?" Z knew he was right, he could tell from the way Samos looked at him. "No." He said simply. "The Mulldack has over a million troops." Z whistled. A million. It was a big number.  
"Well," said Z. "I can see only one choice. We storm the Mulldack's base and take the information on where the other half of the Crystal Element is." Now it was Mickey's turn to nod. "That's what we thought. But then we did some research. The Mulldack's 'base' is more of a palace. It's huge. It has more security doors and key coded locks than a prison. And it's defended by around three hundred thousand troops. Its hopeless, there's no point in even attempting an attack."  
"So what's the plan?" "Okay. Overall our troops won't survive the Mulldack's in a full on battle, but we may be able to win tactically. Our plan is to wipe out as many of the Mulldack's troops as possible. The more troops he has, the more powerful he is. So, by taking out his army, we can render him weaker and stop him before he reaches the other half of the Crystal Element."  
"Works for me." Z shrugged. He turned to Lirael. She nodded. Ruby and Kiz had remained silent, but they to nodded. It was the only plan they had.  
  
"But first I have a few questions." Z cleared his throat. "Some people have been following me lately. They seem to be trying to kill me, they even followed me here, into the fiction world, who are they? What do they want?" Mickey looked puzzled. Samos spoke.  
"What do they look like?" Z narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. "They have masks on, black masks that cover their faces. They have a certain armour to, silver, with golden streaks and a red circle in the centre. They travel in gangs as well, always in gangs." Samos muttered something to himself.  
"That is very strange." He said. "Do you know them?" "Yes. They are Dark Warriors. Part of the Mulldack's army." Kiz spoke up. "Dark Warriors? In the world of reality? Is that even possible?" "Yes." Said Samos. "It seems these particular Dark Warriors were ordered to transform into human form. That way they could go unnoticed. They were probably sent to the world of reality to look for the Crystal Element, but what I don't understand is why they were following Z here."  
"You mean I'm being followed by Dark Warriors in human form?" "Yes. But why they're following you I don't know. Curious, most curious."  
"I have one more question." Said Z. "Why was I sent here? My friend Daz said he'd be here, but he's not. Why did he tell me to come here?" Mickey shook his head. "That we don't know, I'm afraid we may never know."  
Something was nagging Z, at the back of his mind something was nagging him. He had to ask. He had to. "One more thing, if I help you win this battle, will you return me to my home in reality?" Mickey smiled. "Yes." He said. "If we win, we will return you." He reached his hand over the desk, Z shook it. "Then we have a deal."  
"We also would like to go back to our home." Said Kiz. "Yes." Said Ruby. "We will help to, if you take us back."  
Z couldn't help thinking it, but there was something odd about Ruby and Kiz, as if he had met them before, in a dream or an age-old memory.  
Samos looked out through his telescope. "We should tell them." He said to Mickey. "Okay. I will." "Tell us what?" Asked Lirael. Mickey sighed. "We don't have much time. There's an army on its way to Abhorsen's House." Z leapt from his seat, the wooden chair falling backwards onto the deep blue carpet.  
"An army? How big?" "About a hundred thousand Dark Warriors. They're coming from every side. We're surrounded." "Surrounded? Is there no way out?" Mickey shook his head. "We're surrounded on all sides, we could try to fly out, but they'd shoot us down. There was once a well in the garden, it led to a secret way out, but that was blocked up long ago. We're trapped."  
"How did they know about the secret meeting place?" Kiz asked. "I do not know." Mickey shrugged. "Somehow the Mulldack found out and he sent an army here either to destroy us or to hold us under siege." Z thought, there had to be a way out.  
"How many troops do we have?" Mickey thought for a moment, then spoke. "We have a few powerful weapons in the house, a few hidden defences, a few animals and creatures underground and about seventy troops in the house itself. No where near enough." "Okay." Z was determined. "What about other troops? Can we get them here quick enough?" "No. Our nearest soldiers are a few days away at the least, they wouldn't get here in time."  
Z thought. He closed his eyes and let the energy seep through him. He felt Lirael's hand against his, she was letting the power of the Charter flow through him, help him think. Then he had it, he had the answer. (The Charter is the magic source for all Charter Mages and links all life together. The Charter is from the Abhorsen Trilogy)  
"Samos!" "What is it?" "Samos, do you have any ways of communication, can you make it possible to communicate with anyone I please?" Samos thought for a moment. "Yes. I think I can." "Good. First of all I'll need a phone. Samos, I need you to retrieve a certain telephone number for me. Can you do it?" "Yes." "Good. I want everything set up in five minutes. I need to make a call."  
  
YAY! Chapter 9 next! Can't wait! So, more mysteries have risen! Why are the Dark Warriors chasing Z? Why did Daz tell Z to meet him at Abhorsen's House? Where is the other half of the Crystal Element? Why does Z need to make a certain phone call? And why do Kiz and Ruby seem familiar? I hope this chapter solved many of the mysteries already and if there's anything you don't understand, email me at Zvicecityhotmail.com I have to admit the plot is a little complicated at times. Even I get lost. But it is possible to suss out the plot from the information you already have and the very, very, very clever people among you, could most probably work out all the mysteries. Even where the Crystal Element is. I'll make a little game out of it, anyone who thinks they know, email me at the same address! Only one guess per person please and I'll put your name up in the next chapter if you managed to guess correctly. Still along way to go till the plot is unravelled properly though, Chapter 10 coming soon! YAY! So until then, Seeya and keep reviewing! ; )  
Z 


	9. A Mysterious Guest

HI! That's right, this is it! Chapter 9, the chapter before the elusive chapter 10! I'll tell you if anyone guessed where the Crystal Element is at the end of the chapter! On with chapter 9, which I codenamed the 'fight' chapter! Let us begin!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
A Mysterious Guest  
  
Within five minutes it was done. The call was made. Z could only hope that his plan would work, if it didn't, they were toast. "Okay, I'm done" Z breathed, trying to steady his quivering voice. "Now what do we do?"  
"Put up the defences, arm the troops and ready our weapons. It's the only thing we can do." Mickey was right; it was the only thing they could do. He beckoned. "Z, Lirael? Come with me, I'll show you what we have." Mickey spoke softly, but there was a power in his voice. He opened the door and led the two of them down a long flight of stairs.  
They passed the sitting room where Ratchet was reloading his pistols, then went down another flight of stairs, longer this time, twisting into the cellar.  
Mickey opened a large metal door in to a huge room. The room was made entirely of stone bricks with wooden shelves supporting bottles and large barrels of wine scattered around. But the thing that Z noticed first were the creatures inhabiting the room.  
There was a large cage to his right, containing three lizards the size of rhinos. In front of him a group of soldiers were trying desperately to restrain a huge red dragon, black stripes the colour of darkness lining his body. Smaller, vicious creatures were enclosed in cages, or running free through the cellar, drinking wine and smashing bottles.  
"We have many different types of creatures here." Explained Mickey as a group of warriors walked past, rolling a large cannon mounted on a trolley. "As you can see, we also have many powerful weapons here. This should be enough to keep the army at bay, granting us time enough to observe whether your plan will work. If it does not we will have to find some way of escape."  
Z nodded. They'd just have to hope the plan worked. There was a loud bang behind them as the metal door opened. It was Tidus. "Mickey! I have an important message for you!" Mickey turned to face him. "What's wrong?" "Someone is approaching Abhorsen's House."  
Mickey frowned. "Just one person?" "Yes, One man, he does not seem to be armed and is travelling by Paperwing to the landing strip. Should we shoot him down?" Mickey thought for a moment. "No. Send five armed troops up to meet him. If he's an enemy he'll be outnumbered. If he's not we won't be making any mistakes we may regret." Tidus nodded. "Yes, sir." He turned to leave.  
Z looked over at Mickey. "I'll go up to meet him." Mickey nodded. "Okay, but be on your guard." "Don't worry. I'm always on my guard." Z drew his pistols and ran back up the stairs.  
  
Daz was nearly there. Five more minutes and he would come down to land. Then it would just be a case of bluffing himself past the security, eliminating the enemy and taking the Crystal Element.  
The plan was, if Z were there to meet him, Z would still think Daz his friend; therefore he would let him into the house. And once he was in he would simply take the Crystal Element and make his exit, leaving the Mulldack's army to do the rest.  
The Paperwing began to circle around the house, dipping lower, coming in to land. Daz noticed five armed guards standing on the landing strip, but they did not matter. He would kill them all if he had to, anything to get the Crystal Element. He may even have to kill Z, who had once been his best friend, but he did not care. He showed no emotion at all as the Paperwing came in to land.  
  
Five minutes later Z stood on the landing strip as the Paperwing came gliding down. Daz climbed down from the vehicle and seeing Z he smiled. Z smiled to. Daz was alive! So it had been him who had sent the message. "Daz! Your alive!" He walked towards him, gesturing to the guards that all was well. "Yes. Glad to see you're here Z." Z frowned. There was something wrong with Daz, there was a glint in his eye and the smile on his lips was all to obviously fake. Something was different about him.  
Z chose to ignore it. It was probably just the ordeal he'd had. "Come down into the house, have something to eat. You must be famished and we have so much to tell each other." Z led Daz down the steps to a long corridor, which led to a large oak door.  
Z opened it. It led to a large sitting room. There was a small desk at one end, a sofa against the wall and a small window to Z's right. The room was virtually empty, apart from a small plate of sandwiches, which had been left over from earlier.  
Z smiled. "Take a seat." He said. There was no answer. He turned around to see Daz standing next to the oak door. He had locked it. "There's no need to lock the door. We're safe here." Daz said nothing, he stepped forward. Something was wrong. Why was he acting so strangely?  
Then Z saw what Daz was clutching. His pistols! Daz had taken his pistols! Daz took a step forward, walking past Z over to the window. "Daz, why did you..." Z's sentence was cut short. Daz had thrown his pistols out the window! There was a soft thud as they hit the grass below. Daz shut the window, locking it and pocketing the key.  
Now he knew something was wrong. Daz smiled briefly before drawing a large double-barrelled laser cannon from his lab coat. Z was in trouble. He was locked in a room with his old friend, who for some reason wanted to murder him. He was unarmed, his pistols were gone and he had given his knife to Lirael when they had arrived at Abhorsen's House. The only thing he did have was his last Concusser Grenade attached to his belt, but if he used that he'd blow them both to kingdom come.  
Daz raised the cannon. "Give me the Crystal Element!" He rasped, his voice was not the same. It seemed ancient, inhuman. "I don't have it!" Screamed Z, he stepped backwards, rattling the door. Sure enough it was locked tight.  
"Give it to me!" Daz loaded the gun. Z was angry. Why did his best friend want the Crystal Element? And why did he want to kill him?  
"I don't have it!" Z was sure Daz would shoot him. He needed a plan. Daz snarled. "I'm giving you one last chance. Give my the Crystal Element or I'll empty this double barrel into your head!"  
Z looked into his eyes. He meant it. He was going to shoot him. Daz's finger rested on the trigger. "Okay, you had your chance. Now your times up, enjoy death!" Z waited until the very last second, he waited until Daz pulled his finger backwards, ready to fire. Then he leapt. The cannon fired, two huge red lasers streaked past Z as he leapt to the ground. They smashed into the wall behind him, leaving a crater the size of a dinner plate and completely vaporizing a small picture of the seaside, which had been nailed there.  
Z was lying on the floor before he knew it, Daz reloading, ready for the next shot. Z rolled forwards, dashing behind the sofa. He would be safe there. For the moment anyway. He needed a plan.  
He felt the impact of the next shot, it vibrated across the sofa as part of the seat exploded leaving a cloud a feathers everywhere. Daz reloaded, putting another shot into the sofa, it would not stand up too much more punishment.  
Z thought quickly. He had a plan. He waited until Daz begun the loading process, before rolling out from under the sofa and sliding heavily into Daz's legs. Daz had not expected such an assault and toppled to the floor, the laser cannon flying from his grasp, hitting the desk behind him and bouncing onto the floor.  
Z got to his feet before Daz could even blink and rushed towards the cannon. Daz lashed a foot out striking Z above the knee. It was not a powerful hit, but it was enough to stop Z in his tracks, plenty of time for Daz to scamper to his feet.  
He wished he hadn't bothered. As soon as he was up Z hit him with a punch to the stomach followed by a powerful uppercut. Daz tried to hit back, his punch catching Z in the shoulder.  
Z flinched, before striking out with his foot, straight into Daz's groin. Daz bent over, wheezing at the blow. Z swivelled round, kicking the laser cannon into his fist; quickly he reloaded, turning to face Daz.  
But Daz was ready. He lashed out at Z's face, who just had time to block the assault with the cannon. Z struck with his foot, twisting his body. The back kick – Ushiro-geri – one of the most lethal in karate. The blow hit square on Daz's abdomen. He didn't even have time to cry out, contorted with pain he crumpled to the floor.  
Z pointed the cannon at Daz's heart. "You'll pay for betraying me!" Snarled Z. He loaded the cannon. "Never!" Roared Daz. He leapt to his feet and before Z even had time to pull the trigger, Daz was on him, savagely attempting to rip the cannon from Z's hand. He succeeded. The heavy pistol flew through the air smashing through the window behind them.  
"Fool!" Daz smirked. "Now I'll have to kill you with my bare hands!" Now it was Z's turn to smirk. "I doubt it." Daz narrowed his eyes; Z had began to dance round him. "Now its time for you to die!" Screamed Daz, he rushed at Z, but the boy was already gone, having skipped nimbly away.  
Z laughed as Daz turned to face him. He had a point. Daz was twice his age; he could never keep up with him in terms of agility. He'd have to win by brute force alone. Daz came at him again, only slower this time, readying himself for a full powered punch. "What's wrong granddad?" Joked Z. "Run out of gas?" With that Z swung, the punch hit into Daz's side with considerable force.  
Daz grabbed onto Z's hand. But he did not let go, he began to squeeze. Z clenched his teeth, Daz was breaking his wrist and he couldn't get free. Z swung round, forcing his entire body weight into pulling Daz to the floor. Daz twisted round, but it was too late. He crashed to the floor, landing heavily on his back, but still he would not let go of Z's wrist.  
Z pummelled him with his free hand, but he refused to let go, as if driven on by some uncontrollable force. He had to do something, his wrist was snapping. He looked around for something to help, Daz was lying next to the desk. Z scanned it for something useful, there were piles of paper, a roll of sticky tape...there! Just what he needed! Z reached out with his free hand, snatching a large glass paperweight from the desk.  
Daz saw it and was about to let go when the paperweight came hurtling through the air, smashing into his forehead. The blow would have been enough to knock out a normal man, but Daz was under the power of the Mulldack's potion and refused to give in.  
He struggled and kicked, but Z held him tight by the collar, he hit again with the paperweight. This time blood was spilled and Z heard someone knocking on the door, but he ignored these things, concentrating on Daz.  
"Traitor!" Z screamed, hitting Daz again and again with the paperweight. "Traitor!" Daz was still not unconscious, the spell would not let him, but he was close to death now and if it had not been for the fact that the door burst open, distracting Z, he may well have died.  
"Z!" Someone screamed, it was Lirael, she rushed into the room along with Samos, Mickey and a few other soldiers. Lirael grabbed Z's arm, restraining him. Z understood, he dropped the paperweight and turned to face his friends.  
"Z, step back, I'm afraid your friend is not well." Samos stepped forward, inspecting Daz. "He's no friend of mine!" Snapped Z. "He tried to kill me. He said he wanted the Crystal Element, he was sent by the Mulldack. He's a traitor!" "No." Said Samos. "We noticed something was wrong when we heard shouting and gun fire. The door was locked, so we broke it down. A few more minutes and it would have been to late. Your friend here would have died. He is not a traitor, I can see by the way his eyes gleam he is under the influence of Dark Crystal Potion."  
Z was not convinced. "What the hell is that?" Samos explained. "Dark Crystal Potion is a liquid substance made from liquidised Dark Crystal. It makes the victim do whatever the master desires. In this case the master was the Mulldack, your friend was sent here to take the Crystal Element, or half of it. He is not a traitor, he had no idea what he was doing." Z nodded. Now he understood. So the note had been to lure him here? This Mulldack creature was smarter than he'd thought.  
"Daz isn't dead is he?" Mickey shook his head. "No, but a few more minutes and he would have been. He may have brain damage though, but it's doubtful since he was under the influence of potion." Z nodded. Good.  
"So, you will be able to get him back to normal, right?" Samos nodded. "Yes, we do have a remedy, it will take about half an hour to take effect though." "Okay. How long until the army arrives?" "No more than forty five minutes. If your plan dosen't work by then, we'll have to evacuate."  
Z nodded. He was pretty sure his plan would work, but if it didn't they'd have to move on to plan B. He hoped they didn't have to. Plan B was more than a little risky.  
"Now," Said Z. "If you'd excuse me I'm going down to the garden to fetch my pistols."  
  
The Mulldack was not happy. The news that Daz had failed had reached him quickly and he was not amused. But still, it did not matter. He had hoped his plan would work, but it hadn't, so he'd have to move on to plan B. Even without the Crystal Element he would still be triumphant.  
There was a loud bang behind him. "Who dares enter my chamber?" The Mulldack screeched, it wad like nails on a blackboard. "It is I, master." The Mickey creature had entered. "What is our next move master?"  
The Mulldack thought for a moment. "Attack Abhorsen's House and take the Crystal Element if you can. It is risky though, so be careful. Also, assemble three hundred thousand troops and be ready for the attack on Mickey's palace. I don't want this messed up."  
"Yes master! Of course master!" The Mickey thing bowed low. He wanted to ask the Mulldack a question, but the Mulldack had already read his mind.  
  
"Yes. You can finish Mickey of yourself. Kill him when you take over the palace." "Yes master. I shall." He bowed once again and left the room, the huge doors slamming behind him.  
  
And so, chapter 9 comes to an end! Next it shall be chapter 10! What will happen when the Mulldack's forces attack Abhorsen's House? What will become of Daz? And will Z's plan work in time? All will be revealed next chapter! And now I shall tell you that not one person guessed correctly where the Crystal Element is! So quickly, guess again and be ready for chapter 10, when even more will be revealed! And remember my motto, keep reviewing! I need a new catch phase...any suggestions? Anyways, Seeya!  
Z 


	10. The Battle Of Abhorsen's House

Yes! It is here, chapter number 10! The 'battle' chapter. The forces of the Mulldack are lined up for the battle, the troops at Abhorsen's House preparing to defend their fort. Everything rides on this battle, who will prevail and will Z's plan work? Prepare to find out as we enter the extra special, extra long chapter 10!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The Battle Of Abhorsen's House  
  
Everything was ready. The troops were huddled together in the gardens and in the lookout tower, ready for a sudden attack. The Mulldack's army was less than ten minutes walk away, it was huge, and what's more, it surrounded Abhorsen's House on both sides.  
Z just hoped his plan would work. Every soldier they could spare was armed with whatever they could find. Some were wielding swords, spears and crossbows; others laser cannons and body armour. Three cannons were positioned near the entrance, facing the two banks of the great river.  
The remaining troops were inside; they would be used as medics to treat the wounded, although all they had was a few bandages and some medicine.  
Z stood on the balcony of the house, facing the army of Dark Warriors. They were still a few minutes walk away, they had time to prepare. Z turned and stepped back into the study, where Mickey stood, sharpening his blade. "Have you released the creatures yet?" Asked Z. "No. We'll wait until the army are right at the water's edge. We've got together some troops to ride some of the creatures."  
Z raised his eyebrows. "I'll ride the dragon." Mickey shook his head. "No. There's no time to teach you the basics. In fact there's no time for anything." He looked over Z's shoulder, warily.  
The army had broken into a run. It wouldn't take them any longer than two to three minutes to reach them now. "What do I do?" Mickey thought for a moment. "Go down into the gardens. Make sure everything's ready. I'll activate the main defence and then prepare for the attack. If your plan dosen't work we'll have to evacuate." Z nodded. "Ok. I'm on my way."  
  
It took Z no more than a minute to reach the gardens, but by then the army had already reached the water's edge. The strange thing was they weren't doing anything. Just standing there. They waited. Five minutes past. Nothing. Ten minutes. Nothing. The army seemed motionless, as if they had been turned to stone.  
Z frowned. Were they going to attack? Or were laying siege to the house? Then Mickey was at his side. "Ok. The defence has been activated. In a few minutes it'll be up." "Your not going to flood the place are you?" Mickey shook his head quickly. "No, no. Far to dangerous, that defence was removed long ago, when an Abhorsen got trapped in the floods. She was crushed against the rocks. Not a pretty sight."  
Mickey sighed. "Here." He handed Z what looked like a large bandoleer, and a beautiful sword. "Give these to Lirael. She'll know what to do, when the time is right." Z was puzzled, but he gave Lirael the sword and bandoleer nevertheless. He had a feeling she was going to need them.  
Another five minutes past. Z was beginning to think nothing was going to happen, when the ground started to rumble. It was like an earthquake, the whole world seemed to shake, loose tiles falling from the roof.  
Much to Z's embarrassment Lirael gripped his hand tightly, drawing her sword. Then it happened. It was all so fast they hardly saw it. The water around Abhorsen's House rose up on all sides, forming four huge water walls around them. Z expected them to fall back, onto the army, but instead they carried on rising, up over their heads to meet in the middle with a fabulous crash. Z could hardly believe what he was seeing, the river had formed a huge, protective dome of water around the house. It was incredible.  
Z had no time to goggle at the spectacle though, he could make out shapes moving beyond the dome, the army was preparing for attack.  
Lirael looked at Z, terror in her eyes. There was a twang and a whoosh, as if something was hurtling through the air, a rock, or a... "Get down!" Screamed Z, as a hail of arrows sliced through the dome, hitting the ground at their feet. Z examined one, it was titanium, but light as a feather and spelled to. Spelled so it would travel through rushing water.  
Z drew his pistols, shouting an order. "Everyone! Draw your weapons, attack with full force!" The words had barley left his lips before another cascade of arrows cut through the water, hurtling down at them. There was a thud behind him, Z turned to discover an arrow, just centimetres from his leg. They were attacking from the other side!  
"Everyone, take cover! Get into the house or the tower, go, go, go!" Everywhere people scrambled into the nearest building as more arrows slashed through the water. Z stopped by the door, putting a few rounds into the dome. It was no use, there were to many of them. They needed help and they needed it soon. His plan had to work, it had to.  
Z's line of thought was quickly interrupted when a small unit of Dark Warriors burst through the dome. He spun his pistols, firing them quickly. In seconds the warriors were out for the count, troops rushing from Abhorsen's House to man the cannons.  
Just as Z stepped inside an arrow came whizzing out of nowhere, striking a young soldier straight in the throat. He fell to the ground, dead before he hit the floor. Z rushed inside, Kiz and Ruby walking towards him. "How are we doing?" Asked Z. Kiz shook her head gravely. "Not well. We've already lost quite a few troops. Tidus was hit by an arrow, straight in the chest. The medics could do nothing for him. Even Lirael's magic wasn't enough. He's dead."  
Z looked shocked. "Tidus..." He muttered. Tidus should be dead already, was nature taking its course? Had Tidus died because of the arrow, or because he was meant to die? Was the Mulldack loosing power?  
There was a scream from outside. Ruby's eyes widened. "Something's happening." At that exact moment a huge blood stained blade smashed through the front door, a black hand reaching out towards the doorknob. Kiz reached for her star blades.  
"The Dark Warriors! They've come!" With a crash the door burst open, a small black creature scuttling into the hallway. He wouldn't have been that menacing, had it not been for the huge axe he was brandishing.  
Before Ruby could even draw breath, let alone her sword, the creature lay dead. A gaping hole in its chest. "Come on!" Roared Z. "The Warriors are taking over, we've got to warn Mickey!" Z glanced out the window, sure enough a squadron of Dark Warriors were making there way through the gardens, hindered only by the brave efforts of a group of defending troops. Blades clashed and blood spilled, but it was hopeless. The stream of Demon's was never ending.  
"Come on! Lets go!" Z would not let their efforts go to waste. They rushed down the hallway, not really knowing which way to go. Z had a hunch Mickey would be in the study, he headed towards it. They reached the study quickly, meeting no one on their way, but you could almost hear the screeches of the Dark Warriors as they cascaded down the corridors, their lust for blood growing stronger by the minute.  
They burst into the study. "Mickey!" Kiz screamed, but Mickey was gone, the only person in the room was Samos. Standing out on the balcony. "Samos, they're attacking the house!" Samos turned his head. His eyes glinted and the three humans gasped. It wasn't Samos. The figure instantly turned to smoke, curling upwards, transforming into another creature. Z remembered what Samos had said about certain Dark Warriors and their abilities to morph into other forms.  
His eyes widened. The creature before him was immense, it filled the room with its body, as black as darkness itself. Z clenched his pistols. Then he remembered something. Where was Lirael?  
There was a flash from behind them and the creature fell dead. Z turned to see Daz standing in the doorway, brandishing a bulky laser cannon. "Come on!" He said. Z hesitated. "Its alright." Said Daz. "I'm cured. I'm back the good side." But it wasn't that that had made Z hesitate, it was the fact that Daz could be another Dark Warrior, luring them into a trap. He decided to take Daz's word for it.  
He nodded. "Ok, but where are we going?" Daz shrugged. "The Dark Warriors are already storming the place. We gotta get out of here." Z shook his head angrily. "No. I'm not going without Lirael." "And why not?" "Because I...I don't know! I brought her into this mess. I'll get her out. You three go ahead. I'll meet you at the Paperwing." Daz nodded and with that they were gone. Now Z was on his own, sometimes he preferred it that way.  
He looked around; Jak and Daxter were standing in the corridor, fending of a group of Metalheads with their laser cannon, but there was no sign of Mickey or Samos. He turned a corner, coming face to face with Donald and Goofy. He almost had a heart attack. "Do you know where Lirael is?" "Yes." Replied Donald quickly. He could hear footsteps behind him. And they weren't the friendly type of footsteps, they were the 'I'm gonna get you' type of footsteps.  
"Where is she?" "She's in the lookout tower. They were driven out by a group of Metalheads and cornered there. We barley managed to get out alive." Z swallowed. That was not good. "Okay. I'm going over there. Go up to the roof, there's people waiting there and a Paperwing you can use to escape." "Thanks." Said Goofy. Z could hear the footsteps now. They were not nice footsteps. "I'll deal with this creature. You get moving!" Goofy nodded and with that they were gone, rushing of down the corridor.  
Z plucked something from his belt. He had found this on the floor next to the dead body of a soldier. It was a Sonic Grenade and this creature was going to get it right in the face. Literally.  
Z activated the timer. Five seconds. The creature was a Dark Warrior, a giant thing, one of the biggest Z had ever seen. It towered above him menacingly, sniffing that air. It had caught the scent of human flesh. Three seconds. The Warrior began to creep towards the corridor, where the human lurked. It began to drool. Two seconds. The creature rounded the corner, jumping out at its prey. It had a nasty shock. Where the human had been, just seconds before, there was now a small shiny object.  
Z placed the Sonic Grenade on the floor, rushing for cover and blocking his ears with his fingers. The creature leapt out, bending down to take a closer look at the object.  
  
BOOM!  
  
The Grenade exploded. Though that particular verb hardly did it justice. Z clasped his ears in pain, the Sonic Grenade was very powerful, it had blown the Dark Warrior into the wall with such force it would not be getting back up again in a hurry. His ears popped at the strain. Then it was over; he took of down the corridor.  
Outside things were even worse. Soldiers lay dead everywhere and a large group of Metalheads were clawing at the door to the lookout tower, though Ratchet and Clank seemed to be holding their own against them. There was only one man left manning the canons and, worst of all, the protective dome of water seemed to be withdrawing. Z figured he had about five minutes until the water dome disappeared and the Mulldack's army swarmed Abhorsen's House, destroying what was left of it.  
Several of the house's towers were on fire and large chunks of brick were falling down upon the remaining fighters. Things looked bad. It seemed as though Z's plan had not worked. Z headed towards the lookout tower, blasting the remaining Metalheads.  
"Ratchet, what happened out here?" Ratchet turned towards Z, shaking his head gravely. "The Metalheads trapped a few troops up in the tower." "Are they alive?" Z held his breath, waiting for the reply. "I'm not sure." Z nodded. "Okay. I'm going in there." And with that he blasted the door, striding up the stone stairs.  
It was a tall tower, but Z did not have long. He took the stairs three at a time, reaching the summit quickly. He opened the door slowly, who knew what was behind it? "Lirael? Its me, Z." The door swung open. The room was not very big, the only furniture being a small desk and a few jugs of water. Three soldiers were at the windows, firing arrows at the army, another sat at the desk and Lirael was at the door, her dagger drawn, blood glinting in the light.  
"Oh, Z!" She screamed, hugging him tightly. On any other day Z would have found the situation a tad embarrassing, but not today, there was no time for something stupid like that. "Come on" Roared Z at the soldiers. "We only have a few minutes until the water dome disappears, then the army will swarm the house! There's a Paperwing on the house's roof, we can use it to escape, come quickly!"  
The troops jumped to their feet, relieved to have a good excuse for leaving the tower.  
  
In seconds they were back outside, Ratchet and Clank at their heels. Z cursed. The water dome had gone, reduced to a wave, battering the waters edge. Now he could see the army fully. It was huge. A hundred thousand troops, an awesome sight. They were also moving, stepping slowly towards the river. In minutes the horde of Warriors would envelope Abhorsen's House, torching it to the ground. The creatures Mickey had released on the army, including the dragon, had a lot of damage, but most of them had been shot down by now and there was nothing left to stop the army.  
Arrows whizzed past, the frontline had seen them, they were sitting ducks. More arrows. Z drew his pistols, not that they'd be much use, hopelessly outnumbered as they were. There was still time. "Lirael, get inside!" "No." Came the stubborn reply. "I'm not leaving without you." "GO!"  
There was a roar from the Dark Warriors. It was hard to tell in the confusion, but it sounded all to like charge. The army moved. They came flooding towards them like water from a jug, pouring out into the river. The first few Warriors were swept away by the current, or crushed on the rocks, only to be replaced by the next line, eventually creating stepping- stones of the dead. It wouldn't be long until they reached the house.  
"RUN!" Screamed Z. Lirael tried to clasp his fingers, but he shook her of. "Go now or I'll blast you!" He wasn't joking. He'd rather that then let her stay outside and be slaughtered by the Warriors.  
"Ok, I'll go, but hurry up!" Z intended to. He waited until she had gone with the troops and Ratchet and Clank, then pulled his last Concusser Grenade from his belt. He yanked the pin and hurled it at the front line. That should give them a few more minutes to escape.  
More arrows flew past, Z watched the grenade curve through the air, landing with a splash into the river. Then it blew, hurling huge chunks of stone from the riverbed. The Warriors flinched as the rocks landed, but then continued. They weren't going to be stopped by a single grenade.  
Z turned to leave when he saw something out the corner of his eye. A shimmer of dust? Heat haze maybe? Maybe, or maybe his wishes had been granted. Maybe his plan had worked. No it was too much to ask for. But then again...it could just be...  
A red light flashed. An approaching Warrior dropped dead. Another light. Z new instantly what they were, they were laser beams, apparently appearing from thin air. Z resisted the urge to jump up and down with excitement. His plan had worked! It had worked!  
What Z had actually done was make contact with the Fairy People (see the book Artemis Fowl for more info on them) and they had come! The reason he could not see them was that they were shielded, invisible to the human eye. More and more Dark Warriors fell, until the soldiers were forced to retreat and begin to fire arrows into the air in hope of striking their unseen enemies.  
More laser blasts. Z was amazed there must be a few thousand Fairies here, probably the LEP'S entire force! He had sent the message to Foaly the centaur. He was the LEP'S technological genius, paranoid though he was. He had told them about the fiction world's new threat and they had come quickly.  
Z had to do something. Then he noticed there was a shimmering object hovering down to meet him. The Fairy unshielded. To Z's surprise it was none other than Captain Holly Short (the very Fairy that the infamous Artemis Fowl kidnaps in the first book)  
"Captain. You got the call?" Holly nodded. "I trust you sent the message on?" Z hoped to make contact not just with the Fairy People, but with Artemis Fowl himself. "Yes, Foaly did it himself. There are a few minor glitches though. One, Artemis was mind wiped a year ago. Were going to have to bring his memories back, this is very dangerous, but the Council are prepared to do it because of the urgency of this situation." Z nodded. He had anticipated that.  
"Also, after this affair, you and the other humans are to be mind wiped before you return to reality. Got that?" Z nodded once again, although he had no intention of actually submitting to the mind wipe. He had other plans and he would like to keep his memories in the process. "Anything else, Captain Short?" "Yes. One more thing. We will help with this situation; the Techies lined up, Recon and Retrieval. Our services are yours." Then she saw the dangerous glint in Z's eyes and added a hasty "for now anyway." "Thank you Captain, this is much appreciated." He reached out a hand, but Holly reclined. "Not now, Mud Boy. When we win, maybe, but until then, keep your distance." It was obvious the Fairy Captain did not trust him, but Z did not mind, he did not trust them either.  
One more question. "Captain? We need cover fire to escape this place, I'm sure not even the combined might of the LEP can keep that army at bay for long." "Okay. What do you need?" "About thirty of your officers to carry the survivors away. The rest will go in the Paperwing and we'll need a few more officers to guard that. We don't want it shot down."  
Holly nodded. "Okay. I'll report to Commander Root, we'll see what we can do. Where do you want to be taken?" Z hesitated. "Anywhere. As long as it's a good distance from here." Holly nodded and then she was gone, a shimmering figure in the sunlight.  
  
It was all over in five minutes. Z rushed to into Abhorsen's House, debris was falling from the ceiling and the fire was spreading, smoke leaking through the gap in a nearby door. He quickly found the ladder; scaling it he rushed to the other side of the room and hurled himself up the staircase.  
The view from the roof of Abhorsen's House was amazing. The entire army was fighting creatures it couldn't even see and, surprisingly, the LEP seemed to be winning. Lasers flashed and more Warriors fell to the floor, crying out for help. Z did not waste a second more, the tower above him was burning brightly, threatening to collapse and the last thing he wanted now was to be trapped under a smouldering heap of rumble.  
He rushed to the landing strip on which the Paperwing lay and his friends waited. There were about eight troops left along with Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter and a few other characters including the Final Fantasy people Z had met earlier. To there side Daz stood with Ruby and Kiz, Lirael studying her bells.  
"The Fairies are here!" roared Z above the screech of gun battle. "My plan worked! They have agreed to help us, get as many people as you can into the Paperwing. Daz, Ruby, Kiz. Lirael, you to, you go by Paperwing. The LEP will carry the rest of you."  
"Were are we going?" Asked Goofy, who had appeared, along with Donald, from the other side of the Paperwing. "I'm not sure, but anywhere is better than here." Kiz nodded and climbed into the vehicle. Z looked around, about twenty LEP officers were flying towards them, their mechanical wings buzzing slightly.  
A chubby young Fairy landed at Z's feet, removing his helmet and shaking the dead skin from his ears. "Okay, which way are you going? Are you gonna be carried or are you going by Paperwing?" A dangerous glint appeared in Z's eyes and a grin widened upon his face. "Neither." He said. The Fairy was puzzled, he didn't have long and the human was wasting his time. He was annoyed at this and the two emotions argued in his head. Annoyance won. "Then how are you gonna get the hell outa here, wise guy?" Z's grin stretched up to his ears. "I'm going by dragon."  
  
"WAAAAHOOO!" Z screamed as the huge dragon dived down below the clouds. The dragon was a humongous creature, mostly crimson with black parallel stripes running down his spine to the end of his snout. The dragon had somehow managed to survive the battle and, even more miraculously, Z had managed to get the dragon's rider to let him have a go.  
Now the dragon, or Flames as he was called, soared through the air twisting past the Paperwing again and again, blowing clouds of fire skywards and trampling through the countryside below.  
Z had rode many a fast hover-bike or hover-car, but nothing rivalled this, nothing was as exhilarating as this. The wind rushed through his hair, mercilessly battering his face, tears sprung in his eyes, only to be whipped away by the fierce torrent of air. He screamed again and again as the dragon took another dive and his stomach lurched.  
He looked below at the countryside rolling past and behind him at the burning remains of Abhorsen's House. Fairy lasers burnt through the sky and the Mulldack's army hurriedly retreating.  
Z sat in the small gap between the dragon's neck and back, his legs scraping against the dragon's hard scales repeatedly, if it wasn't for the thick leather saddle the fairies had fastened to it the skin on Z's legs would have been torn of long ago.  
Pain still buzzed through his body, but it was lost in the brilliance of the dragon ride and the fear that he would fall.  
A fairy flew below, carrying a soldier on a stretcher attached to its mechanical wings. Z vowed he would find out how they worked on day. He could make a fortune.  
The Paperwing soared closer to Flames, he tilted his head slightly, acknowledging it, and swerved to the side a little. Another thing Z was amazed at. The dragon was not just an animal, a dumb brute; he was as intelligent as a man. Probably more intelligent than him. The thought unsettled him.  
They seemed to be coming into land, there was a large gap between the trees rushing below them, a silver line streaked the horizon, the sea, Z realised. The Paperwing swerved down to the clearing and Z's stomach lurched as Flames followed.  
For a moment Z thought they were going to crash, but Flames tilted seconds from the ground, slowing with a flap of his massive wings. His huge feet slammed into the ground, powerful muscles rippling as they absorbed the shock. Z climbed down as the Paperwing landed and his friends got out. Soldiers were lowered to the ground and Fairies flew around, organizing themselves.  
  
It was late before everything was done. Camp was made, tents set up and fires lit, food was passed round, left to roast in the large bubbling pots around camp. Kiz, Daz, Ruby and Lirael sat together. Z gathered some firewood before eating. Flames followed him, lighting fires around the camp.  
Z and Flames had grown closer, there seemed to be an affinity between them. It was as if Z could talk with him, but, almost simultaneously, not understand a word the dragon said.  
The night was cold, stars littered the sky and the moon was round and full. Z ate a little more and settled down on the ground, cleaning his pistols. Kiz was talking with Cloud, they had grown closer, and Daz was with Rikku. Ruby sat in a group of Fairies telling them stories.  
Questions littered his head; why did he recognise Kiz and Ruby? Where were Mickey and Samos? What had become of the Crystal Element? What was he to do next? The questions flooded his head, only stopping when Lirael wondered over.  
"Having fun?" She asked. "Mmmmm..." Z murmured, polishing the pistols. They were almost done now and sparkled as brightly as the starlit sky. She sat next to him, brandishing the sword and bells given to her. "So, I'm the Abhorsen in waiting now?" Z nodded. "Yes." "Did Mickey say anything else to you?" "No. Except one thing. He said you will know when you are to use the bells." Lirael nodded.  
Z slid the pistols into their holsters. "Where are we going next?" Asked Lirael. Z shrugged. She lay down slightly, moving her hand onto his. Z turned his head, afraid he might blush.  
Stop it. Z told himself, you've just rode a dragon! A think you can stop yourself blushing. Anyway, he thought, you aren't the type to blush. He almost sniggered at that. You aren't the type. Classic.  
Lirael closed her eyes, lightly resting her head against his shoulder. Z gulped, it was strange, how this young girl scared him more than the dragon, the battle or the Metalheads put together. Luckily he was saved, someone called his name. "Z!" He stood quickly and Lirael flopped to one side, already asleep. He picked her up and carried her to the camp, laying her on a straw mattress, then turned looking for who had called his name.  
"Z!" It was Holly Short. He walked over briskly. "Yes, captain?" "Commander Root wants to see you this morning. Artemis should arrive by then." "Good. Where are we going to meet?" "I suppose the best place to go would be the fortress of Disney Creek." "Ok. We'll go tomorrow." Holly nodded and walked away. Z returned to the camp, he was thirsty and the air was humid. It was going to be a long night.  
  
The Mulldack cursed loudly. "How?" He roared. "How did this happen?" The unfortunate messenger shrank back, his teeth chattering. "They had invisible troops my lord! There was no way we could have won." The Mulldack snarled. "Fairies." He muttered. "I'll see to it this dosen't happen again! Ready the troops for the assault on Mickey's palace."  
The messenger nodded frantically. "Yes, my lord!" "Well don't just stand there!" The messenger hurried out, glad to be alive. He vowed to himself that never again would he deliver messages for bloodthirsty demons.  
The Mulldack clenched his huge fists. He was become more real, less virtual, returning to power. He clapped his hands. "Bring in the prisoner!" The doors opened and five large Dark Warriors rushed in, two of them carrying what looked like a normal man, his long white hair swaying as the Dark Warriors pulled him behind them.  
It was Sephiroth. (evil villain from Final Fantasy 7) Sephiroth used to be a friend of the Mulldack's but he had betrayed him and taken him prisoner.  
Sephiroth saw the Mulldack and his eyes narrowed. "What are going to do with me?" He snarled. The Mulldack almost laughed. "I want your power." "How are you going to get it? You know I won't give you anything!"  
The Mulldack stepped forward, morphing himself in to the shape of a man. "I am going to fuse us together. With this!" The Mulldack pressed a button on a small dial and a large machine started up. "What? Are you mad?" The Mulldack shrugged. "Some would say so. Though I prefer the term 'mentally challenged' don't you?" Sephiroth struggled uselessly. There was no escape. It was pointless.  
  
Sephiroth was ruthlessly forced into a small glass compartment and held in place with thick leather straps. The Mulldack climbed into the second compartment and signalled to a Warrior to start the process.  
There was a loud humming sound as the machine readied itself, compressing its power into a pure vault of energy and channelling it into Sephiroth's compartment. The room lit up as the energy surged through the glass meeting the leather straps and flowing through them into Sephiroth's body.  
He convulsed in pain, screaming as his body turned to energy and disappeared up through the machine. He screamed and screamed and the humming grew louder and louder until the agonised screaming could no longer be heard. Then he was gone. Sephiroth's body had been turned to pure energy, which was then channelled to the Mulldack's compartment, where he absorbed it.  
The Mulldack now had every drop of Sephiroth's power and he was stronger than ever. He chuckled to himself. "Tut tut, the mighty Sephiroth, destroyed in less than a minute. I pity him, or I would, if I actually cared."  
The Dark Warriors shifted uneasily. The Mulldack climbed from his compartment, slowly walking towards the Warriors. He clenched a fist and they dropped dead instantly. The Mulldack swung open the huge doors and stepped into the corridor. It was the first time he'd left his room in countless years.  
He was powerful again. He had returned to his former self, now all he needed was the Crystal Element and this time he was powerful enough to go and get it himself.  
  
Chapter 10 finished! Sorry about the wait and I'm afraid I'm now going on holiday for two weeks so chapter 11 won't be up for a while. Finally its finished, now I await reviews! YAY! So keep reviewing cause (if all goes well) I have another fic on the horizon! So get reviewing!  
Z 


	11. Disney Creek

Hiya! Its is I, with the next instalment of Dimension Domination! Yes, I know, its been an awfully long time. And I mean a reaaaallllyyy long time, but I finally decided to get back to it and carry on from where I left off. I will now be updating every Monday for the next five weeks. So here it is, leading up to, what I hope will be a spectacular climax to DD, chapter 11!

Chapter 11

Disney Creek

Z pushed onwards, forcing his tired legs into heavy strides, mashing the grass as his feet twisted to keep their balance. A few times he had to reach out and grab Lirael's shoulder to keep upright, although this was less accidental than she knew. It was hot in the fields, very hot, and sweat ran freely between the soldiers and Fairies that escorted them.

High above them flew the Paperwing, carrying the wounded, and Flames, the great dragon swooping and soaring, the exhausted Daz and Ruby riding atop him to regain their lost energy.

It had been a long trek through treacherous land and many portholes and only Jak's knowledge of them had kept the troop alive. Now, finally, they had arrived.

Z put on a spurt of energy, surging to the top of the emerald green hill they had been climbing, and peered over the top. He grinned openly at the sight before him.

"I see it! Lirael, I see it!" Lirael smiled to, pulling herself to the hills summit, despite her heavy bell bandoleer, and gazing with Z at the sight before them.

"Disney Creek!"

Sure enough, the huge valley lay sprawled beneath them, its evergreen fields and trees sparkling in the mid-day sun. Crystal clear water ran in a glittering, sapphire stream and fruit grew in abundance on every branch.

"Its…beautiful…"

Kiz and Goofy joined them on the hill top, admiring the view.

"Yup, that's Disney Creek alright." Goofy confirmed in his throaty tone. Z frowned.

"But…I don't understand…where's the fortress?"

"Why, Its right there! Don't you see it?" Goofy pointed a finger between two streaming waterfalls. Z stared, the glint of a rainbow catching his eye. He followed it, a bursting, full rainbow residing between the two falls. Hang on…there was something strange about it…golden dust was flowing from its lines, sprinkling to the floor slowly, as if caught in something…

All at once he saw it. Z almost choked in amazement. Before there had been nothing, but, without warning, a fortress had appeared, as if springing into existence.

"How? What? That's impossible…" Goofy shook his head, his ears swinging from side to side.

"Nope. The fortress of Disney Creek can only be seen by those who know its there. If you have never heard of it or do not know where to look, you'll pass right on by."

"What a clever defence…"

Lirael punched Z lightly on the arm. "Come on you. Disney Creek awaits!"

The Fortress itself was a slight blue in colour, a mighty gate positioned in the centre, with many smaller battlements atop it. It was an amazing sight, awe inspiring even, currently holding around three hundred thousand of Mickey's troops. In those very fields, (for Disney Creek was a huge valley - once filled with water but now drained) the very first battle against the Mulldack had been fought.

Kiz addressed Jak, a tad puzzled. "Hang on, haven't we already been to Disney Creek? It sure didn't look like this…"

"No, we weren't here. If you remember, we were on the lands above the creek." Jak pointed skyward. Kiz gazed upward, following the cliff side to the top where it opened onto another piece of land.

"Ah yes…I remember now. Treeus Margon…"

It was not long until they reached the fortress. The Paperwing landed and the wounded were taken from it and carried the last little way, Cloud and Kiz taking one on a stretcher. Flames landed and walked beside them, shaking the earth with his great footsteps. They passed several huge chunks of marble, the fallen remains of a great bridge above them that the Metalheads had destroyed (see Chapter 5 for more on that battle) Then they stood before the fortress itself.

Donald stepped forward and took a small ivory horn from his pocket. He blew on it, a shrill bark sounding forth. A soldier appeared on the battlements above them. A minute later the gate opened with an agonising screech and the party entered through the great doorway before them.

Inside Samos was waiting for them.

"You?" Z roared in outrage. "What? How? How did you get here before us?"

"Quieten down my boy and I will tell you. But first, you must eat and drink. You must be tired after your long trek."

The group ate greedily, Daz guzzling water and Ratchet shovelling down mouthful after mouthful of chicken while Samos proceeded to tell his story.

"It happened quite by accident. Myself and Mickey were cornered in the study of Abhorsen's house, fending of a group of attacking Metalheads, when behind us a porthole appeared, just like that! We had no idea it was heading our way, it just opened right there in the study. Of course, we weren't going to just jump inside and leave you all, our plan was to alert you and take the porthole to the fortress before it disappeared. It was the perfect means of escape, it couldn't have come at a better time."

"So…what happened?"

"Just as we'd defeated the Metalheads we heard a great roar and an enormous Dark Warrior appeared in the doorway. The monster took a swipe at me, see here?" Samos pointed to a long scar on his arm. "And began to breath poison gas, filling the room. We had no choice but to turn and flee through the porthole and that's how I ended up here. I thought you were all dead, I could only hope your plan would work Z."

"Well, it did, as you can see. I have a meeting with Artemis Fowl and Commander Root actually."

"I know, a porthole appeared in the fortress about an hour ago and we went to investigate. It led to Fowl Manor (Note: Fowl Manor is the name of Artemis Fowl's mansion in the books) They're waiting for you."

"I'd better go. But first…one question. Where's Mickey? I thought you said you both went through the porthole?"

"We did. Mickey went first, but he managed to use his half of the Crystal Element to set the porthole to take him where he wanted. I arrived here, and he travelled to his Palace in Disney World. Apparently the Mulldack is preparing an attack force there."

"Okay…I'd better get going. Samos, you coming?"

"Of course. If there's one thing we need, it's a plan of attack!"

This time Z barely felt a thing as he travelled through the porthole. He remembered the first time, where the journey had knocked him to the floor and robbed him of energy. Things had certainly changed.

Z and Samos emerged inside Fowl Manor itself. The place was a huge, finely decorated and beautiful building that was thoroughly against Z's tastes.

"This place is to old."

"To old? I'm older myself!" Z laughed.

"It's the musky smell. That and those portraits…"

Z cast his eyes upwards to stare at a long row of family portraits. Generations of Fowls stared back at him. He was tempted to put a laser blast through one of them, but stopped himself. It would probably make void whatever contract they had with Artemis.

They walked on, taking a sweeping, central flight of stairs to the second floor. Classy. The study was second on the right. Z didn't knock.

The room was rectangular in shape, a large wooden table occupied the centre of the room with panels of computers and a vast wall sized window at the far end. Artemis Fowl himself was seated at the head of the table, Butler standing to his side (Butler is…well, Artemis's Butler, but also his deadly body guard) Artemis was a striking figure, more so than even Z had imagined. His black, unkempt hair fell lightly on his face, piercing sapphire blue eyes scouring the room with an intelligent gaze, sharp nose and poignant pale lips, merging into an expressionless mouth. His body was thin, but not in a toned way, and he wore a black suit, immaculate in appearance.

The stubby Fairy, Commander Root, sat, occupying the left side of the table. He had light grey hair, close cut and a cigar wedged in the corner of his mouth. It was not lit.

"So," He said, as Z took up the place opposite Artemis, Samos sitting to his left. "You finally decided to show up?" Artemis looked at Root, barely turning his head. "You are late, Z." His eyes remained hard and cold, like marbles. There was no warmth, no pardon, as was found in Roots tones.

Artemis's sentence had a far more striking effect. Z smiled openly.

"Yeah, I guess I am." He sat lightly, taking a swig of water from a jug laid out on the table, placed next to a series of small glass ash trays.

"Cigar?" Asked Root. Z shook his head sharply.

"Thanks, but no, I don't smoke."

Artemis smirked slightly, and sat upright.

"We are agreed on my payment, yes?" Z frowned, his eyes turning hard to match Artemis. "Payment? I suppose your not doing this just to help out the struggle against the Mulldack?"

"Of course not. I expect full payment for my trouble. My brain is an organ which I wish to conserve. I do not have time to use it in such a way as you have suggested unless there is something in it for me."

"Fine. Gold?"

"So you know me then Z?"

"Yeah…you could say that. You could say I've…read a lot about you." Z smiled. It was a nasty smile. A smile that said 'I know something you don't'. Artemis almost faltered, but kept his cool. What worried Artemis most was that this Z was still a child. Growing quickly into adulthood, yes, but still a child. There would be no advantage here, Z would not underestimate him.

"So, you wish for me to draw you up a plan of attack. Let me ask you, what war is this you are fighting?" Z thought fast.

"it's a…war between the Fairies."

"Fairies?"

"Yes. A great Fairy of power that calls himself the Mulldack has taken over…Atlantis and taken power of an army from another dimension."

Artemis perked up.

"Dimension you say? I shall wish to study this…Dimension."

"Perhaps you shall, but first the plans. You have Fairy technology remember, use it well."

Artemis repressed a smile.

"Oh don't worry. I will. How many troops?"

"On our side? Three hundred thousand here," Samos pointed to a map he had brought. "And another three hundred thousand here. The enemy has over a million, separated into three main groups."

"Groups of…"

"Two groups of three and one of four hundred thousand soldiers."

"Then the objective seems clear. Take out the extra four hundred thousand soldiers and you become even."

Z smirked. "Easier said than done." Artemis smiled for the first time.

"Perhaps not. Commander Root? How many Bio-bombs do you possess?"

Night fell at the fortress. Kiz had met with a fifteen year old boy, he had fair hair and brown eyes that looked as if they'd seen to much. His name was Alex Rider (the main character from the AR series, starting with the book 'Stormbreaker') They were chatting avidly. Daz spied them and went over to Lirael.

"Hey, what do you think of those two?" Lirael smiled.

"Heh, they look cute…when do you think Z will get back?"

"Probably soon. I shouldn't imagine he'll want to stay away from you for to long." Lirael blushed, but was smiling.

"What do you think will…"

She was interrupted by a burst of pure energy. The air shattered like glass, a porthole opening in its fabric, and Samos and Z stepped back from Fowl Manor.

Everyone crowded round them, asking what had happened and Samos explained to the congregation while Z slipped away with his friends.

"Artemis agreed to help us - for a price, of course. He has a plan. All we need to do is send out a wave of communication that can easily be intercepted by the Mulldack, saying that we are seeking refuge at the fortress of Disney Creek with a large amount of Mickey's army. The Mulldack will see this and hopefully send out a large amount of his own army to trap us here and win control of the battle in one swoop. But, of course, it's a trap. We'll wait until his forces arrive, use a porthole to send ourselves and our army through to the Mulldack's Dimension (see chapter 4 for more on the Dark Land) Then, when the enemy go in for an attack they'll set of a hidden trigger and BOOM go our Bio-Bombs!"

(The Bio-Bomb is a biological bomb used by the Fairies in the book Artemis Fowl. It destroys all life in the area, but only life, no buildings are destroyed in the process)

Kiz grinned. "Sounds excellent, but why are we going into the Mulldack's dimension?"

"For a surprise attack. We're guessing most troops the Mulldack will send will be from his Palace. He can easily open a porthole from there to Disney Creek and send his Warriors through. That should leave the Palace relatively undefended. He sends his troops in, we send ours out. Then we attack his Palace. If all goes well we should capture it and obtain the Mulldack's plans, or, if we're lucky, even the Mulldack himself. We don't think he's yet powerful enough to escape his refuge."

The next day they prepared for the battle ahead. Weapons were primed, steel sharpened, commands practiced and the fake communication sent. There was no word yet of an approaching army. They waited and, at day break, received a message delivered by a Great Eagle. It was from Mickey Mouse himself. It read;

Samos,

An army of around four hundred thousand of the Mulldack's troops, consisting of Dark Warriors, Metalheads and many others has appeared through a porthole in Disney World and is, as I write, marching towards my Palace. I have around three hundred thousand soldiers at my command here, and many other weapons I can use to cause devastation to the Mulldack's forces, but it will be a close fought battle, no doubt, and it is conceivable that I may lose the Palace. I thought it best to inform you of this and to say that I will do my best to uphold our position and destroy as many of the Mulldack's troops as I can. I wish you the best of luck my friend.

Mickey Mouse.

Samos offered the letter to Z and he read it aloud.

"A second battle at Mickey's Palace? Good. That should distract most of the Mulldack's remaining forces. It will improve our chances."

"Yes, but if we lose both battles we will be destroyed. There will be no hope and no backup."

"We won't lose. I'll make sure of it."

And so all sides prepared to do battle. The Mulldack gathered his army for the offensive, Mickey priming for defence and Z, Kiz and Ruby watched as Samos opened the porthole through which they would escape, into the assault on the Mulldack's Palace.

Its all heating up! Two battles are about to commence, will the Mulldack be fooled into the trap that's been set? Will Mickey be defeated by the Mulldack's army, lead by his arch-nemesis, Dark Mickey? Will the attack on the Dark Land Palace succeed and will the Crystal Element finally be found? More importantly, will all this stuff be revealed in chapter 12? (I promise I won't keep you waiting for an age this time!) There's only one way to find out! Until next time, Seeya and R&R.  
Z


	12. The Duel

Hoorah, chapter 12! This chapter we will take a look at Disney World and at the battle unfolding at Mickey's Palace. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

The Duel

Dusk approached. The radiant sun sank between two distant mountains, a great shadow falling on Mickey's Palace. The King himself stood on his balcony, fingers clutching tightly to the marble railing as he gazed down on the great fields of Disney World below him.

Mickey's army stood defiantly, all three hundred thousand, their armour glinting in the fading sunlight and darkening in the sweeping shadow. They were lined before the Palace itself, a defensive shield, awaiting the coming of the Mulldack's troops.

It would not be long now, Mickey knew, before they stormed forth and the two armies clashed in a spectacular battle. A small Elf approached him, holding forth his staff, its blade sharpened to perfection. Mickey took it and held it aloft. He spoke into his half of the Crystal Element which magnified his words and translated them for the hundreds of races of creatures before him.

"My friends! The Mulldack's army waits for the signal to attack, he will take this palace and destroy it, but only if we allow it! I will not let our enemies come forth and crush the peace we have worked so hard to build, instead I say we fight, fight for our children and their children and the generations that lie ahead, fight for the peace that we ourselves have enjoyed for countless years!"

A great cheer rose from the ranks, roaring upwards to meet Mickey where he stood.

"I ask, no, I beg that you fight to the last drop of blood has been spilled. If we are to win then we must believe that it is possible. Do you believe this?" A second roar greeted him.

"Then I ask nothing more. Prepare yourselves, my friends, for our destiny awaits." With this Mickey retreated from his place on the balcony and pulled on his robes, long black robes, black as the night sky. He pulled the hood over his head and spun his staff between calm fingers. It was time.

The Mulldack had intercepted the message. He was, in fact, overjoyed. Not once did the thought of trickery cross his clever, yet eager mind. He marched forth the hundred thousand soldiers from their camp near the remains of Abhorsen's House and sent through a further three hundred thousand from his own Citadel. He expected nothing less than a perfect victory. No longer did he care to have the Crystal Element in one piece. He would do whatever it took now to stop Mickey, Z and all the other rebels who stood in his way. He could move freely now, he had power he had not felt in years. He would annihilate them.

Z waited for the news. He did not have to wait long. Four hundred thousand troops moving at full pace towards the fortress of Disney Creek.

"Samos, are the troops moving through into Dark Land?"

"Yes my boy. By my estimate around half our force have moved through the porthole. We should have fully evacuated by the time the Mulldack's troops arrive, just as planned."

Daz frowned. "You sure about this? I've been in the Dark Land, its one big desert and the Mulldack's Palace is huge. This is a horribly risky operation."

"It's the only plan we have."

Silence reigned. They all knew it was true. If they failed they would have almost no option but to surrender. Jak entered the room, nodded at Z and proceeded towards Samos.

"The troops are almost on the lip of the creek. It won't be long now." Samos motioned to Z and Daz.

"You'd better get down to the courtyard. Its almost time."

Mickey watched in anticipation. The great maze was being burnt. The Mulldack's army had evidently arrived on the opposite side of his maze and had proceeded to quickly and elaborately burn it to the ground. Flames burst into the sky, crackling with intensity and massive spiralling pillars of smoke rose to the night sky.

The was a cry, a great howling war cry and the enemy burst from the flames, thousands of them in one massive, uninhibited torrent of flesh and steel. Even Mickey, who had seen many armies in the past, could not help but be awed by the sight before him, hundreds of thousands of Dark Warriors pouring down the hillside to meet his own soldiers. The mass of black, writhing figures inspired him with a will to fight.

Something sounded behind him. Footsteps perhaps? Mickey tore himself from the scene before him and turned his head to meet the intruder.

It was a dark figure, embroiled in a heavy black robe, eerily similar to his own.

"Who the hell are you?" Mickey brandished his staff, a chill running through his spine.

The figure took a step forwards, raising his hands to brush back his hood. A set of gleaming red eyes stared back at Mickey.

"Why, you know me Mickey! Don't you remember?"

Mickey's eyes narrowed. Dark Mickey. His opposite from the Dark Lands.

"Yes I know you. How did you get in here?"

"Through a porthole of course."

"But…that's impossible. All portholes inside the Palace walls have been sealed!"

"Evidently not this one. The Master crafted it for me. We will destroy you and your army together and reduce this detestable world to embers!"

Dark Mickey unclipped his robes, sweeping them to the floor, and revealed a hidden sword, its razor-like blade constructed from pure dark crystal. His horns glimmered in the pale light of the room as he took up his sword and held it before him.

Mickey complied, discarding his own robes and twirling his staff skilfully.

"So, it is a duel you wish for, is it? Then you shall have you're duel."

The battlefield was littered with corpses. Thousands of soldiers lay sprawled in agony on the grass, now trampled to thick mud by the feet of both sides. Steel clashed, arrows flew and lasers scorched the sky. Old and new weapons fought as one and the two armies battled in the moonlight, fighting to the last for every inch of ground.

The noise was horrendous, screaming, crashing and clanging, death rattles and the splash of blood on steel, moans of the tired and weary, roars of monsters and dragons and the crackle of fire, accompanied always by the silent drifting of thick black smoke that obscured the fighters.

There was a swooping whistle from overhead and hundreds of missiles shot from defensive cannons, soaring over Mickey's army and crashing into the hoards of Dark Warriors in a blitz of light and fire and pain that churned the mud and decimated all in its path.

The two fighters were a swirl of steel, their blades slamming into each other again and again as the two twirled away, away and back once more into the duel.

Mickey struck forwards, his staff catching the hilt of his opponents sword and threatening to send it spinning from his grasp. Dark Mickey gripped tightly and retorted with a spinning slash that met Mickey's staff and swept it away, slashing the marble walls and surging forward in a trail of sparks as Mickey evaded the blow, skipping backwards and hitting out once more.

The demon's eyes pulsed their deep, blood red as he reflected with a parry and kicked out viciously, knocking Mickey to the ground. He regained his stance just in time as a finishing stab from Dark Mickey's sword came hurtling down, swept away by Mickey's staff and brought, with a resounding clang, to the marble floor.

Mickey panted heavily, pointing his staff squarely at his rivals head. He had disarmed him. It was over, or so he thought. Dark Mickey stepped towards him, seemingly regardless of the blade which Mickey held inches from his neck.

"What are you doing? Its over. You have no weapon, make a move and I shall kill you."

"Oh really?" It all happened so suddenly that Mickey could barely register it. In a flash the demon had kicked the sword into his hand, from which a beam of pure black energy shot forth.

Mickey's own staff blazed back, a second beam of white energy surging from the Crystal Element. The two bolts of electricity met in the centre, colliding with each other and sending both wielders flailing to the floor.

Mickey was the first to recover, kicking himself to his feet. He made an instant lunge at his rival who parried easily and struck back a forceful blow that caught Mickey's arm, slashing a deep scar that dripped with blood. With a scream of anger he dived back into combat, twirling his staff in a series of slashes and stabs that were lightening fast, each was struck backwards with speed and skill, Dark Mickey dodging and weaving before him.

"You're getting old my friend, not as fast as you used to be!" The demonic visage taunted the King with a mocking laugh, striking with a blow that was knocked aside, and again with agility born of an experienced warrior.

It was true. Mickey was not as young as he once had been, his bones were battle weary and his arms tired and weak from constant attacks and defences, each new stroke jarring his wrist and sending him back a step.

Dark Mickey took full advantage, driving home a series of strikes in quick succession, hoping to overpower his adversary and finish him with a flourish. But Mickey refused to fall and met each of his strokes with pace.

"You leave me no choice Mickey. I am weary of this battle. Let us finish this!"

With these words a second bolt of pure energy shot from his sword, met again by a wave of power from the Crystal Element.

The two combatants stood, locked in a fierce battle, the torrents of energy rushing and receding as they forced their will forwards. Sweat rolled from Mickey's brow, his teeth clenched in pain and his hands shaking with the immense power of the gushing energy. Dark tussled with light, until, eventually, the two beams broke apart, both Mickey and Dark Mickey falling to the floor.

They stood and once again struck out, blades meeting with a clash and…there was a horrific screech and the sound of glass hitting the floor. Mickey looked up, his eyes swimming with concentration. They fixed on his opponents sword. Dark Mickey's blade had broken, the dark crystal shattered in two. The massive amount of power it had been drained of during its battle with the Crystal Element had weakened it and a single stroke had shattered the sword like glass.

Dark Mickey stood in awe. He was defeated, he had no means of fighting back. In an instant he turned and ran, a porthole appearing before him. Mickey gasped, chasing after, realising there was no way he would catch his rival in time. There was only one option left. summoning the last vestiges of his power, Mickey shot a bolt of energy from the Crystal Element, sealing the porthole before it could even open.

"Not this time. No more running away. It ends here."

Dark Mickey stood before him, silent and still.

"We will meet in the next life. There you shall not be so lucky."

Those were his last words. The Crystal Element struck out, white electricity engulfing his flesh. Dark Mickey screamed once, and evaporated into ash and smoke. He was no more.

Mickey leant heavily on his staff and made his way to the balcony again. The battle raged below, his troops holding their ground, despite pockets of Dark Warriors who had broken through to the Palace itself. Sections of it were now on fire, plumes of smoke rising to obscure the stars, or crumbled by explosives, rubble scattered throughout.

The lines of Dark Warriors were thinning, his defences taking their toll on enemy numbers. Mickey stepped down from the balcony, striding through his doors and onto the nearest staircase. He would go to the battlefield. There was a war to be won.

And so Chapter 12 comes to an end with Mickey defeating his nemesis, Dark Mickey, and taking control of the battle on the Mulldack's forces. Next week, Chapter 13 sees Z and the army of Disney Creek travel to the Mulldack's Palace for a surprise attack and execute their plan to cripple the Dark Warriors with Bio-Bombs. 13 may be the unlucky number, but will Chapter 13 prove unlucky for our heroes? R&R and return next week for the answers to these questions and more!

Z


	13. Assault on the Mulldack's Citadel

Chapter 13 is here! I am happy to say that this is the longest chapter so far (yes even longer than 'The Battle of Abhorsen's House') and shall reveal a tad more of the slowly unravelling plot! What shall happen? Well…I'm not gonna tell you. Read, damn it!

Chapter 13

Assault on the Mulldack's Citadel

Sweat ran freely from Z's brow, dripping from his chin and nose, the boy running a sleeve through his hair in the humidity. The troops were almost all through the porthole by now, only a few hundred left. The Mulldack's army could be spotted from the watch towers, armour glinting in the gaze of the sun's rays.

"Z, we should get going." Lirael turned to him, concerned. He frowned to her, but it was a frown of defiance as opposed to annoyance.

"Not yet. Not until every last soldier is through. I want to see them go."

"Why?"

"I just do, okay? We're going in on Flames and the last thing we need is to be shot down. I'm not taking any chances with this, they do their duty and I'll do mine."

Kiz, Ruby and Daz were already gone, into the Dark Lands, the great desert. Into the Mulldack's home world. It would not be long until they followed.

Z gestured to a Elf, summoning him. The little Officer scuttled forward, looking more than a little intimidated by Z's size.

"Yes sir?"

"The Bio-Bombs, are they primed?"

"Yes, they were set just five minutes ago."

"Thank you. Go through the porthole now." The Elf nodded, and hopped through the ethereal gateway without a backwards glance.

Z and Lirael waited until the last man. He told her to leave but she would not. Finally he conceded, and the two left, Z staring back across the courtyard for one last, lingering moment, before he stepped through into another dimension.

The porthole closed with a shower of golden sparks, raining to the ground like a thousand falling embers. No one was left behind. Barely thirty seconds later an army arrived. Before they knew what was happening the immense blasting detonation of the Bio-Bombs hit their ears. The sky was lit with a fantastic blue, a blue rinse, and there was silence. A pure, screaming silence.

Z toppled through the porthole, rolling to his feet and brushing the hair from his eyes. Lirael lay before him and he smiled as she struggled to stand.

"I'll never get used to that blasted thing."

"We've arrived."

The desert was almost unbelievable in scale. In every direction the sand stretched onwards, seemingly for an eternity. The scorching sun struck Lirael's forehead like a hammer blow, the heat almost driving her to her knees, sweat instantly forming from her long, matted hair.

All around them thousands of soldiers marched, forward, towards the Citadel, the sand they swept through piling to their left and right, leaving deep tracks in the barren landscape.

A small group awaited them, Samos at its head.

"You've arrived I see. Flames has been waiting for you." The colossal dragon reared its magnificent head, bending low and gazing deep into Z's eyes. This creature understood what it meant to wait, it was no dumb beast.

"We're here now. When do we go over?"

"When our army get close enough for an attack. Your assault relies on surprise, we can't have you flying in until the Mulldack's remaining forces are concentrated fully on the battle." Lirael stepped forward, nervously fondling her bell bandoleer.

"Who's coming with us?"

"You, Z, Ruby and Kiz will fly on Flames."

"Where's Daz?"

"Do not worry Z, your friend Daz is going into battle on a cargo-ship. It's a sort of battle tank, but with a flat top allowing for easy transportation of goods, or, in this case, troops. He's well protected."

Z nodded but he didn't feel safe. So many things could go wrong.

The sound of cannons in the distance roused him from his thoughts and Samos turned, pointing his small telescope in the direction of the booming cannon blasts.

"It's the Mulldack's army, they've seen us. There's still many thousands left to defend his palace and, although we have advantage in numbers, this will not be an easy fought battle. Go, now, while their attention is diverted."

Flames collapsed into the sand, nestling as low as he could to make the climb easier for his riders. They mounted, one by one, Ruby and Kiz smiling to their partners as they settled into their seats. Flames reared upwards and with a mighty flap of his immense wings and a push from his gargantuan legs, he took of, soaring high into the sky, skimming the bottom of the clouds, the sounds of wild screaming ringing in his ears.

Z spread his body wide in the saddle and pressed his face as close to Flames' neck as possible. Even so, the savage, brutal wind tore at his eyes, stinging like a hail of needles, his hair flying wildly, battering his face again and again as his stomach rose and fell, leaving him sick, sore and bedraggled. Lirael clung so tightly to his chest that it took physical effort to breath and she screamed in his ears like a lunatic, leaving them throbbing with pain.

Despite this Z kept alert. He gazed down on the battlefield below, watching their own troops, like ants from this height, advance on the Mulldack's force and his heart thudding faster and faster whenever a cannon shot exploded in a mass of flame and smoke, thinking to himself that Daz could have been caught in the explosion. He forced himself to think of the mission ahead, drowning out thoughts of his friends suffering horrific deaths.

With a jerk that lurched Z's stomach, Lirael wailing madly in his ears, her throat hoarse with terror, Flames dipped slightly downwards and the Mulldack's Citadel loomed before them. It was a colossus, strikingly dark, its towers seemingly rising so high as to puncture a hole in the clouds.

Flames took them down, flying as to conceal himself to the best of his ability. When they got low enough to see the lower levels of the pit the Citadel was built in that Z ordered Flames to land. Lirael's voice sounded behind him, over the rushing wind that blasted the ear drums.

"Z, are you crazy? Are you trying to get us killed? Our orders were to fly to the palace itself, not land in the pit, what the hell are you trying to pull?"

Z turned to face her, indignation flashing on his features.

"Do you see? Lirael, Kiz, Ruby, do you see those crystals?" They looked below and saw. Under the Citadel hundreds of Dark Warriors were digging, uprooting huge black crystals that seemed to be shedding seeds. Seeds that grew into…

"Oh my God!" Kiz's eyes widened in disbelief. She turned to Ruby, both staring at each other in amazement.

"Those crystals…they make _more _Dark Warriors! All this time we've been wondering why there are so many of them and this is why, they're making more, increasing numbers all the time!"

Z nodded.

"We have to stop them. I know this isn't to plan but we have no choice. We land. Now."

Flames heard and drove his wings upwards, shooting himself into a hurtling dive.

The battle raged below, the enemy spilling into the pit, thousands upon thousands fighting their way down the spiralling slope to the Citadel itself. The Mulldack knew victory was impossible, Samos had brought an army vastly superior in numbers and, although his Dark Warriors would not go down easily, it was only a matter of time before they destroyed his remaining forces.

The Mulldack paced his room in fury, rage boiling and bubbling to the surface in terrible outbreaks of violence. He screamed, a terrifying roar that rattled the bones, and kicked a nearby desk so hard it was sent flying, splinters of wood cascading to the floor. A Dark Warrior of the highest rank stood before him, quivering with fear, barely able to stand straight before his master.

It had been a trap. A trap all along, and it had worked! The Mulldack could barely believe he had been tricked. Hundreds of thousands of his warriors destroyed by Bio-Bombs. He needed a plan.

"Why did you not anticipate this General?" The Mulldack spoke in calm, cold tones. Deceptively so.

"It was not possible master, we had no idea that -"

"I do not _care_ for your excuses. A scout should have been sent. There is no excuse for this incompetence!"

"Master, please, the situation is far from lost!" The Mulldack stopped pacing and turned to face his General, fixing him with eyes that shone to the very soul.

"Then what do you propose we do?"

"We are not defeated, we still have many troops left. I say we pull back all troops from this battle now, and all from the attack on Mickey's Palace, and order them to Disney Creek to meet with any survivors there. We can make a last stand, Mickey's army isn't huge and once you get hold of the second part of the Crystal Element you will be powerful enough to destroy him yourself."

The Mulldack's eyes closed for several seconds, lost in thought, before he harpooned the General with his icy gaze and smiled.

"It is a good plan of action. Put it into operation, leave a few thousand troops to make Samos think he's had an easy battle and evacuate the rest through the main porthole. Do the same with the army at Disney World. This battle may be lost, but the war is far from over."

The Dark Warrior left, breathing an immense sigh of relief. He had escaped with his life. Just. In the throne room the Mulldack turned to his balcony and threw open the doors for the first time. He took a breath of the pure fresh air and licked his lips. He was strong enough now to end this war, and end it he would.

Casting a hand before him he summoned a porthole, the rip in space shining with an almost heavenly light. And, with a quick glance down at the battlefield below, he stepped from his world into another.

Ruby and Kiz proceeded towards the nearest Dark Warriors. They were we easy targets, their concentration taken by the hard labour of farming the crystals. With an almost inaudible clink of metal, they drew their weapons.

Kiz approached silently, until she was standing directly behind the closest warrior and, in a display of patient skill, slammed a star blade through its skull. She let the body fall, its partner turning to look as it heard the dull thud of the corpse on the rock, only to have its head sliced clean of, Ruby brandishing her bloodstained sword in the sunlight.

The two silent assailants proceeded along the face of the black crystal, dropping from a ledge to the next level and killing, almost without a sound, the three Dark Warriors digging the next patch of crystal. They continued in this way, like deadly assassins, until three levels worth of the crystal mines had been cleared of danger, summoning Z and Lirael from their hiding place. The friends spoke in hushed whispers, careful not to alert the attention of the workers on the next level down.

"Z, do you think three levels will really be enough? These mines go down way below the Citadel, there are hundreds of platforms and thousands of workers."

"We have no choice but to try. I only brought enough explosives to cover this expanse, no more."

Lirael glanced into the depths of the mine, a group of Dark Warriors were running up from below.

"We don't have long, there's a small troop of them heading this way, Z, set the explosives!"

It didn't take long. Z moved quickly, from level to level, planting four packs of sticky explosives on each and connecting them to a handheld trigger. One button and boom; the whole place goes up.

In another minute they were ready, sheltered in an incline of rock.

"Shall I hit the button?"

"Yes."

"Sure?"

"Yes!"

"Really sure?"

"Yes, god dammit, just hit the god damned button already!"

Z hit the god damned button already.

The explosion pierced Z's brain. There was a blast so loud he felt his mind had been flushed and he'd never get it back. His head rung, numb with shock, pain and disbelief. How could anything be that loud? The explosion was still ringing, his ears sore and bloody with agony. Next to him Ruby and Kiz were clutching their heads, their screaming muffled by the mighty echo, Lirael burying her face in his chest, nails clawing his wrists.

Above them the rock shattered, bringing shards crashing to their feet. Z screamed something, he knew it was "Move!" But he couldn't hear it, all he could do was open and close his mouth in a silence so deep there was no escape, his words enveloped in a sound so loud it rattled his heart. He grabbed Lirael by the arm, flinging her from under the incline and running after her, Kiz and Ruby at his heels. The incline collapsed behind them, billowing clouds of thick, pungent dust rising to obscure their vision.

Z collapsed to the floor, pulling his comrades with him and there they lay, utterly surrounded by the terrible scream of a thousand tonnes of rock grinding and crumbling to the ground.

Then sound returned, proper sound, speech and footsteps and…screams. It was with them in a rush of speed, appearing before they knew it, leaving them lying in a groaning, cursing heap of pain and fear.

Kiz stood first, taking in the surroundings.

"We're alive."

Z shook his head, rising to his feet.

"Just."

The landscape was obscured with immense clouds of dust. The entire mine had caved in almost totally, every ounce of the black crystal buried under hundreds of tonnes of rock. Those sticky explosives had been a tad more powerful than anticipated.

"Looks like its over. No more of that crystal to worry about. Mission accomplished."

"Not quite, we still have to get into the Citadel itself."

"Flames is waiting, lets go."

But only three of them stood up.

"Lirael?" Z reached down to the girl, lying on her side, eyes tight shut with pain.

"Lirael? What's wrong?"

Her eyes opened a crack, staring up at Z and she smiled slightly, her lightly positive demeanour cut off by a groan of pain.

"My leg…"

Z cleared a small pile of rubble, fanning away the drifting clouds of dust and slowly lifted her legs onto his knees. Her right shin was bleeding, a slow trickle of deep red blood pooling in her shoes. A small chunk of rock had fractured the leg and, although it was nothing serious, she would not walk until healed.

"I…can't move…"

"Don't worry, its not serious, its just a little blood. We'll carry you back to Flames, everything is going to be fine."

But everything was not going to be fine. Ruby alerted them to the fact that a gang of brutal looking Dark Warriors were racing down into the pit. They would never be able to carry Lirael away in time.

"Leave me here. It dosen't matter, you've got to stop the Mulldack." Z shook his head, disgusted at the thought.

"No, I'm not leaving you here to die!"

"You don't have any other choice, I know you can't get me to Flames in time."

"NO! I got you into this mess and I'll get you out. I promised you. I will not leave you here!"

The Dark Warriors were close now. They did not have long left.

"Z, listen!" Kiz stepped forward and gripped him by the shoulders. "Ruby and I will stay here and guard Lirael. Those Dark Warriors won't stand a chance against the two of us and our army isn't far behind. Lirael will be safe, but you have to leave us. Both of us."

Z turned to Ruby who nodded in reassurance.

"Go."

"But…I can't go alone. The Mulldack could be waiting, I need you!"

"Z, you have no choice. If you want to see Lirael alive it's the only way."

"Do you really think I can do it alone?"

"There's no one I'd rather have go in your place. Hurry."

Z turned and ran. He did not look back, it would only make his decision harder. He slid his pistols from their holsters and climbed the rubble ahead, making his way over the massive piles, his forehead dripping with sweat in the sweltering heat.

Flames was waiting. He did not look surprised that only Z returned. It was as if he knew what had happened.

"Come on Flames, its just you and me now. Lets do this."

Daz gripped his rifle tightly. He was travelling aboard a hover ship of some kind, a floating platform that transported troops. Soldiers ran around the ship, some he recognised, some he didn't. He sat in good company, Jak and Ratchet behind him and Donald and Goofy on either side, dangling their legs from the craft.

"How long until we engage?"

"A few minutes. No more." Daz's stomach tightened another notch. He was terrified by now. Everyone was, although the more experienced didn't show it. Jak turned and addressed him in gruff tones.

"This your first time in conflict?"

"Yes. I've never been to war before."

"Let me tell you now, it ain't pretty. I hope you have a strong stomach."

Screams and war cries broke out ahead of them, explosions littered the landscape. A cannon blast came within twenty feet, blowing out the brains of a nearby soldier. Daz almost threw up.

Before he knew what had happened he was submerged in the thick of it. Screams of pain, of the wounded and the dying scorched the heat hazed air, blood splashed and the sound of bullets hitting flesh - a dull, sickening thud, rang through his mind. He fired his gun blindly, barely knowing at whom he was shooting, striding onwards until his finger clicked on the trigger and he stooped to load a second clip into his rifle, fingers trembling with fear as he fumbled with the tiny metal piece.

A Dark Warrior got close, striking out with an axe, blocked quickly by Goofy's blade and repelled with skill and pace. Daz muttered a thank you, but it was lost amongst the horrific cacophony of battle. He felt as if he would go mad, the last shreds of his humanity hanging by a thread. He prayed the battle would end, that he would be free of the striking, nauseating heat and the sounds and sights of war.

He staggered onwards, fighting for his life, and collapsed onto Jak's shoulders. Something was whispered in his ear that he heard, clearly, like the clean ring of a bell, despite the swirl of blasting sound.

"They're retreating."

Flames soared above the Citadel, his fire red scales flashing through colossal clouds of smoke, rising constantly, making his way to the highest tower. Z gripped his saddle, his strength increased immensely through fear and adrenaline.

Something whizzed past his head. In his efforts to concentrate on keeping balance Z barely noticed. Then it came again and he realized the truth. They were being shot at.

"Flames, down! Go down we're being attacked!" The dragon swooped, charging through clouds, bullets zinging around them.

Z turned his head, catching a glimpse of a small mechanical device, pumping massive wings up and down. A Dark Warrior sat at the helm, manning a cannon turret.

"Flames, we have to land, take me to a balcony, hurry!"

Hails of bullets sped past, one nicking Z's hand, a small red scar slashed on the palm. Z gasped in pain, hugging his arms tight around the saddle, no longer able to grip with his left.

Flames dived still lower, heading for the main tower and to a balcony facing them. In seconds the hole in the tower's side grew from small to huge as the mighty dragon maxed his speed, casting back his tail and pulling his head and shoulders down in a straight line, perfecting his aerodynamics.

As always he waited until the last possible second before the awesome creature turned in flight, mere metres from the balcony. Z dived, pushing his legs hard against the saddle and flying forwards, landing with a thud onto the cold marble floor. He was safe. Flames beat his wings hard and soared into the distance, chasing the mechanical plane with jets of fire.

Z drew his pistols, gasping and cursing as his left gun rubbed into the cut on his hand. Nothing could be done, he would have to bare the pain. He stepped forwards, the room being nothing more than a harmless bedroom. The silence was unnerving. Now he was truly alone.

He moved quickly, opening the door a crack and peering out, looking left and right and studying the corridor before he felt sure he was safe. He kept his guns close, pointing ahead, eyes darting from side to side. He needed to go up, there had to be a staircase somewhere. Z could barely believe he was inside the Mulldack's Citadel. He checked five rooms, but all were empty. The place seemed deserted, but then, that had been the plan, right? They had meant to catch the Mulldack unawares, his attention diverted. Z was lucky really, on a normal day this place would likely have been crawling with guards.

It was another few minutes before he found the stairs. A massive, spiralling staircase that seemed both imposing and beautiful. He scaled it quickly and kept going before he was out of breath, the startling heat halting his tracks. Z sat upon the marble floor, his back to the wall, and rested, breathing heavily. No more than a minute had passed before a shuffling sound alerted Z's attention and he sprang to his feet, flattening himself behind the nearest door. A second later it opened.

A Dark Warrior shuffled through the doorway. He was about Z's size and carried no visible weapons. Perfect.

In an instant Z had him, holding one gun to his head, another to his back. The warrior stopped in his tracks, his entire body went rigid.

"Who are you?"

"The names Z. Where are you headed?"

"Downstairs, to the porthole. I'm getting out of here."

"Oh no your not. You sir are showing me the way to the Mulldack. I know he's on the top floor. Take me to him."

The warrior paused, considering his options.

"No. He'll kill me."

"I'll kill you."

"I'd rather you shoot me now than face the Mulldack's wrath."

"What if I told you I'm here to kill him? Take me to him and you'll be free forever."

Another pause. This time a resolute shake of the head.

"You'll never kill him. He's to strong."

"But…I thought he needed the Crystal Element to regain his old body?"

"He does, but he found another source of power. He can walk again, kill again. Even in his depleted form he is strong enough to slaughter you."

"You don't know me. I will kill him, now move!"

This time the warrior complied, taking the steps two at a time. Maybe, just maybe, this boy spoke the truth. He was his only hope.

The stairs came to an end. A set of double doors, elegant wooden carvings etched into both, stood before them.

"This is it. The highest point in the Citadel. Most troops are gone but there are likely some guards left."

Z nodded and pushed the warrior forwards. He opened the doors, revealing a long, dark corridor, oil lamps set at intervals along the wall and towering marble pillars stretching in rows to the end. It was silent. Silent and empty. Z could taste the coppery tang of fear on his lips. His heartbeat quickened and he tightened his grip on the dual pistols, despite the pain.

Each step along the corridor seemed another step towards death.

Then the silence was broken, a Dark Warrior appearing from a side door, draped in darkness. Z tensed, glancing between his captive and the guard. The soldier before them stepped into the light, revealing a large laser cannon cradled in his arms. It was a few seconds before he recognised Z and when he did he barely managed to shout a cry for help before Z put three shots into his skull.

In the space of five seconds the corridor erupted into total pandemonium. Dark Warriors appeared from every side door, groups of them crouching in the corridor and blasting away mercilessly with all manner of guns.

Z fired of a few shots before diving behind the nearest pillar. The clattering of high speed weaponry filled his ears and a barrage of lasers and bullets cascaded towards him, ripping apart the pillar, hundreds of shards of marble fell to the ground with a sound like the crack of a thousand plates.

Z waited in silence, his captive making a dash for the wooden doors. He was shot in the back six times. The other Dark Warriors must have thought him a traitor. Z turned on the spot, crouched to his knees and poked both guns from the refuge of the pillar. He fired once, twice, three times, the screams of dead and injured warriors hurtling through the corridor. A corridor that had, in seconds, become a war zone.

The clattering commenced once more, the troops firing as one. Z flattened himself against the pillar and watched as a cascade of bullets sped past him, smashing into the floor and pock-marking the wall with tiny bullet holes. Plaster shattered, marble splintered and oil lamps burst open, glass pouring onto the floor and oil with it, reflecting the light of the lasers that scorched the walls.

The shooting stopped. Z plucked a Concusser grenade from his belt, he had been sure to stock up before he left the fortress, and primed it. Then he ran.

He ran out into the open, tossed the grenade and fired his guns, bullets hurtled past him, so fast he could barely register they had been there at all. Then he reached the next pillar and dived behind it, slamming himself to safety and holding his ears.

BOOM.

The explosion rattled Z's body, his bones shuddered from the immense power he had unleashed, but he could not stop. He ducked from behind the pillar, the echo of the blast ringing in his ears, and fired his guns into the smoke and flames before him. He heard screams and the thud of bodies. A scatter of bullets ripped through the smoke, catching Z on the shoulder. He dropped to his knees, gasping in pain and clutching the wound, but was relieved to see it was just a scar, the cut was shallow, slashed by a passing bullet.

He ignored the vicious sting of pain and moved quickly through the smoke, checking the corpses of the warriors. The thud of running feet caught his attention and he squeezed his body into a small niche in the wall, originally carved for a statue.

Two Dark Warriors came running, alerted by the explosion. They stopped dead as they saw the carnage before them, pillars shattered, walls scorched, smoke spiralling to the ceiling and corpses littering the floor. They approached and Z caught a glimpse of them from the corner of his eye. He spun from his hiding place and, before the warriors even had time to react, put two rounds into both of them.

Z skipped past their bodies, running full pelt through the corridor, despite his body protesting at every step. He had to reach the Mulldack, and quickly. He crouched low and peered round the next corner. The coast was clear.

In seconds Z found the Mulldack's room. You could tell it was his, the doors were pure black marble, encrusted with the dark crystal they had seen and a slew of deep blue diamonds. Z was tempted to prise one from the door, it would be worth a fortune, but he resisted. It was time. This was it. He pushed back the doors and stepped into the room.

Gunfire erupted and Z threw himself backwards, narrowly missing the barrage that came tearing past him, slamming with force into the wall beyond. Z swore, wiping the sweat from his brow and pressing himself behind the open doors. He slowly began to peer around, only to whip back into hiding as a second hail of bullets shot past.

"Who are you?" Z shouted into the room, barely daring to put so much as a toe beyond his cover.

"I'm a guard."

Z rolled his eyes.

"Your comrades are dead." There was a pause.

"Who killed them?"

"I did. The rest of the army are fighting below. Your alone, there's no hope." Z prayed feverishly that the Mulldack wasn't hiding somewhere inside his throne room. From what he had seen it had looked empty enough.

"Will you surrender?"

"No. I'm here for a reason."

"You won't be here much longer." Z reached a single hand around the door and began to fire. A cascade of bullets answered him, smashing into the door and chipping the beautiful marble. Then he heard a click. It was what Z had been waiting for, the click of a gun that was out of ammo.

The warrior scrambled to reload, but he was to late. Before his hand had even closed around a second clip he felt an intense burning consume his body and fell to the floor with a hollow thud.

Z twirled his pistols, holstering one but keeping the second at his side. Just in case. He traversed the room with care, studying every inch thoroughly. He had been right. The Mulldack was gone, he had most likely left through a pothole. Z felt partly relief, but also an intense anger. He had hoped to finish this war here, but now the Mulldack had gone, he could be anywhere. Had his efforts to reach the room been worthless?

He scanned the rows of computers, his heart leaping at the sight of a small circular disk, poking out the slot of a large, black drive. It could be nothing, but he had to try. Carefully Z pushed the disk fully into its slot, the computer humming as it booted the data.

A holographic image appeared from a small glass window on the drive, beaming down onto a silver image container below. A hologram of the Mulldack appeared, dressed in a long black cloak, his features obscured. Z fiddled with a knob on the side of the drive and the hologram began to speak.

"This is your master. You will obey this message or face my wrath." Z smirked. Somehow he doubted that.

"General: Move all troops from the battlefield. You will proceed to retreat and evacuate the field. All warriors will move through the nearest porthole to Disney Creek. There I shall be waiting. I repeat: move all troops to Disney Creek immediately."

The hologram waned and the drive stopped humming, the last faint lines extinguishing themselves.

Z frowned. Disney Creek…why? Then the realisation hit home. The Mulldack was planning a last ditch effort. He was gathering all remaining troops, from both battlefields, his own and the attack on Mickey's Palace, and assembling them at Disney Creek to meet with any survivors of the Bio-Bombs! Once he had them there he could concentrate his full force on a final attack, with the Mulldack himself leading the way. That was where he had gone, he had taken a porthole to Disney Creek and Z had been to late to stop him.

He had to get this information back to Samos, it was their only hope. Z moved quickly now, tapping a small red button on the drive which proceeded to eject the disk. He turned and walked to the room's balcony while slotting the precious disk into his holster.

Sweeping the curtains aside he strode into the open air, taking a deep breath and surveying the battle field below. Their army had won, that much was obvious, but it wasn't a surprise to Z. Not now that he knew most of the army whose job it was to protect the Citadel had, in fact, been evacuated to Disney Creek.

Z knew he must get back to ground level, but how? Flames was nowhere to be seen and he couldn't risk going back through the Citadel. He would undoubtedly become lost and it would take to long to escape. By that time it would already be to late. Then he spotted it.

In the distance, a small, bird-like aircraft was flying towards him, golden and green in colour. A Paperwing! It had to be. Z breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed forward against the balcony. He wanted nothing more than for this to be over, but he knew it was not. Not by a long way.

There was an explosion below, a great, shuddering explosion that shook the tower to the foundations. Then the floor began to tilt.

"What the hell…" Z frowned in bewilderment. Surely it was just his imagination, playing tricks on him? Perhaps he had become over heated? He wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled a small silver coin from his pocket.

Z stepped back inside the room and let it drop to the floor. There was a soft clink as it hit…and began to slide. Z's eyes opened wide with horror. The coin slid across the marble surface. Another lurch. The floor tilted once again, more obviously this time and the coin began to pick up speed.

Not good. Z turned in an instant and ran back to the balcony. He had barely gone three paces before his stomach lurched and the floor slid almost from under him. He struggled forwards, pushing his legs onwards. The room had turned in an instant from a flat surface to a merciless slide and it took all Z's effort to make progress on the slick surface.

He reached the balcony's entrance and tore at the curtains, fighting his way to the top and finally surging forwards to grip the railing. Z looked behind him, horrified at what he saw. The entire tower was falling backwards, the explosives tearing open its base and driving it down. In seconds it would crumple and the tower would collapse, taking him with it.

Z renewed his grip on the railing, the tower tilting back further. He was now almost dangling from it, if he let go he would fall into a long and deadly slide. The doors to the Mulldack's throne room had fallen open as the room tilted and Z would speed right through them, into the corridor beyond, sending his body on a one way collision course with the corridors wall. He would smash straight into it, legs first. Death would come as a blessing.

Sweat began to trickle down his shirt, Z's arms felt as if they would be torn from their sockets, burning pain surged through his body and Z gritted his teeth against it. His legs were scrambling across the floor, searching for a foothold. A colossal grinding noise rose to his ears and Z knew the end had come. The tower would collapse and he would fall to his death. A flash of green and gold crossed his vision. Could it be…?

A great swooping sounded from above and the Paperwing soared below him, hovering in position.

"Z! Let go!"

He knew that voice. Z glanced below him, struggling to see and caught a glance of Kiz and Ruby. So they were safe! Lirael must be alright. He let go.

It was an awful, gut-wrenching sensation. The world seemed to go out of focus and Z felt the wind billowing around him and the terrible feeling of free fall. For a moment he was terrified. What if they had positioned the Paperwing slightly of course? He would fall to his death. Then everything was a blur and he hit the Paperwing. He was safe.

"Z? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm alright."

Already the Paperwing was moving. Z propped himself on his elbows and turned to watch as the tallest tower of the Citadel collapsed inwards in an immense explosion of rubble and dust. The palace was destroyed and Z shuddered to think he could have been inside it.

"Sorry it took us so long." Z shook his head. It didn't matter now.

"Is Lirael okay?"

"Yeah. We only had to fight a small group of warriors before the army arrived."

"Is Daz…"

"He's okay to. What happened to you by the way? There's blood on your clothes and your shoulder is bleeding."

"Dark Warriors. There were some guards left, but the Mulldack was gone. He's disappeared along with most of his army." Z reached inside his pocket and produced the disk, its surface glittering in the blazing hot sun.

"Here. it's a disk, it holds the Mulldack's plans. Take it to Samos, he'll know what to do." And with that Z handed it to Kiz and slid onto his back, closing his eyes.

"He's passed out."

"We'd better do as he says."

Kiz nodded. She could feel the end drawing nearer. Soon, she knew, this war would come to its climax. One way, or another.

Phew. That was one loooongg chapter, but now the war draws to a close. I am pleased to announce drum roll that the next instalment of DD shall be the 'final battle chapter' Hoorah! Prepare for action and lots of it! Also next week the location of the second half of the Crystal Element shall be revealed along with many other secrets. Don't miss the most exciting chapter yet! So, until next time, R&R!

Z


	14. Total War

It is finally here! Prepare for the longest, most action packed, chapter of the story. Chapter 14 has begun and the final battle for power rages. Where is the second half of the Element? Find out now.

Chapter 14

Total War

The sun rose over the horizon. It was a new day, the vegetation of Disney Creek dripping its collected dew back into the earth. An army waited on the great plains. It was over three hundred thousand strong.

The Mulldack licked his lips, pacing back and forth, crushing the grass at his feet. He stood before his army, but he did not speak. He was waiting, waiting until the army that had destroyed his Citadel returned. Waiting for Samos and Z and the 'recruit' who had failed him. He would slaughter them all.

As soon as his enemy appeared he would cut them down mercilessly. He had the element of surprise. No one would suspect another army, and certainly no one could know that he, the Mulldack, was powerful again. He would use this to his advantage. The final battle was approaching and the Mulldack was ready for it.

Z awoke, his eyes flicking open, rising into consciousness. He was lying on a stretcher carried by two Fairies and it was swaying back and forth. An immense heat shone down on him, burning his cheeks as he propped himself on his elbows. His entire body felt sticky with sweat and his throat clamoured for water, but it would have to wait.

Dropping down from the stretcher Z shouted a thank you to the Fairies and ran ahead, towards the horizon. He could make out the shape of Samos and he headed to him, ignoring the heat and pain emanating from his hands and shoulders. He checked his holsters and was relieved to see his guns were still there, neither of them had fallen while he had been hanging from the balcony's railing.

"Z, I'm glad to see your feeling better!" The deep, wise voice of Samos the sage drifted over to him.

"So am I Samos, believe me. Did you get the disk?"

"Its right here." He held it up between two fingers, the disk's edge catching the radiant light of the sun.

"I have to say, I wasn't completely surprised by the information it contained. The Mulldack was not likely just to sit back and watch while his army were destroyed. Unfortunately this creates rather more problems for us." Z nodded gravely. He was not sure he had the strength in him to fight another battle. But he must find it. He had no choice.

"I want to thank you Z. Without this disk we would surely have walked straight into a trap. You risked your life to attain this information." Z shrugged.

"Its part of the deal. I help you, you help me. Where are the others by the way?"

"They have already gone through the porthole. We sent Mickey the news as soon as possible and he's sending his army into Disney Creek to meet ours. The Mulldack's army have been spotted and as soon as our full force are present we shall attack on all sides. It's the final battle Z, our last chance."

"I understand. Send me through."

This time Z felt nothing. He passed through the porthole as if it were an open doorway. It reminded him of the events of just a few weeks ago. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since then.

Disney Creek was the exact opposite of the Dark Lands, the desert was replaced by lush green grass and thick flourishing plants and the blazing heat of the sun was gone, a mild cloudy climate in its place. Stepping from one to the other was like a breath of fresh air and Z welcomed it with open arms. He scanned the horizon, taking in his surroundings.

Two portholes were currently open, both feeding a constant stream of troops onto the plains, more appearing every second. Already countless thousands were positioned, the soft clink of armour whispering through the long grass. This would be one hell of a battle. It didn't take Z long to spot who he was looking for. Mickey Mouse was standing on a hill to his left, clutching his staff in one hand and a small pair of what looked like binoculars in the other.

"Mickey!"

"Z! Its good to see you. I got the information from the disk you retrieved. Thank you, it has no doubt saved all our lives."

"Does the Mulldack know we're here yet?"

"No, but his scouts are on the move. About half of our combined troops are in position and we hope to have them all ready before he spots us."

"Then what?" Z asked the question, despite the fact that he knew full well what the answer would be.

"Then its war. Total war."

"What can I do?"

"Our only hope is to go after the Mulldack. If we bring him down his army will quickly follow. I propose that we go in on the Paperwing and find the Mulldack, once we find him we take him out."

"How?"

"I don't know. Before we used the Crystal Element, but unless we can retrieve the second half…I just don't know. We'll do our best. Its all we can ever hope to do."

Z knew there was one last question to ask.

"Where are my friends?"

"They are by the second Porthole." Mickey smiled at him. "Thank you again Z."

Z left Mickey's side and walked over to his friends, his comrades. They saw him and waved, shouting as he approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Its been a rough trip."

He sat down amongst them, feeling the grass slide against his hands and neck. Z gazed at them, one by one, taking in what he saw. There was Kiz and Ruby, both held their weapons close, as if in constant fear of attack and their faces were streaked with black soot, probably from the explosion.

Daz sat next to them, his clothes in ruins, torn and battered. His face looked battle weary, as if all he wanted was to sleep, and his hands were splashed with dried warrior blood. And then there was Lirael, she lay between them on a stretcher, her injured foot bandaged with a dark shape lurking near its surface. Z knew it was blood. Lirael looked up at him, smiling, but it was a smile tinged with pain. Her wound obviously hurt badly and the bell bandoleer lay heavily across her chest.

Z looked at each of them and felt sadness. They shouldn't be here, they belonged to another world. But soon it would all be over. Not long now. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

"You feeling okay Lirael?"

"I'm fine. I can't walk though, I'm afraid I might not be able to help you."

"It dosen't matter. As long as your safe." She smiled again and closed her eyes, drifting into a light sleep.

Daz gazed upwards and nodded towards the figure of Mickey Mouse, approaching them through a small band of soldiers.

"Lets go." The four of them stood as one and walked towards Mickey.

"Is it time?" The king on Disney World nodded once.

"Yes."

A trumpet sounded in the distance, a fanfare. The Mulldack frowned, tilting his head to one side and straining to hear the distant music. Nothing…silence…a few seconds past by and the Mulldack almost turned away, but just as he was about to dismiss what he had heard it happened again.

The echoing beat of drums started up. A chanting and a marching of feet. The Mulldack turned to his army, searching the faces of his generals for any sign of knowledge. None of them knew what was happening. He turned back to the battlefield and watched in a mix of horror and confusion as the frontlines of a squadron marched into view.

"This is impossible! This cannot be happening!"

But it was. In a single instant, as suddenly as a bullet from a gun, an entire army had marched from the trees, from the cover of the bushes and the grass. Thousands, hundreds of thousands, began to march forwards through the field. They were chanting and the sound of drums accompanied them. Then they began to charge and all hell broke loose.

The Mulldack turned and ran, shouting orders as he went. By a stroke of pure luck he had chosen to position his army directly in front of the fortress of Disney Creek. Now he would take full advantage of this and retreat to the safety of the fortress itself.

"How did they know? How?" The sound of gunfire and of immense explosions almost muffled his words, but his general was close.

"I don't know master…it seems impossible."

"We must confront them head on. We will fight their army to the last warrior, but the result of this war does not matter to me. I am powerful enough now to claim the second piece of the Crystal Element. Then I will be unstoppable."

"How do you propose to get it if you're sheltered inside the fortress?" The Mulldack smiled. It was a smile that seemed to drench his features in darkness.

"I do not have to get it. I am sure of one thing; the boy will come to me and when he does I shall destroy him and the Crystal Element will be mine."

The merciless wind battered Z's face relentlessly, his hair whipping his eyes and obscuring his vision. The Paperwing flew just below the clouds, but the horrendous sounds of the battle below still reached them.

Kiz peered over the sides and watched as hundreds of thousands of soldiers engaged in a bloody battle, the frontlines pushing and slashing and stumbling forwards, forever fighting the opposing side and hoping to gain a few more metres of ground. Explosions littered the battlefield as both sides launched missiles over the heads of their comrades. The once lush, green grass of Disney Creek was now churned to mud by the feet of thousands, stamping and crushing and coloured blood red from the dying and wounded.

It was a horrific, yet awe-inspiring sight. Daz would not gaze upon it. He had, only a few hours ago, fought a battle himself and he did not intend to relive the experience. How was it possible that, when surrounded by thousands of people, you could feel so cold and alone?

"Not long now."

Mickey's voice called to them, shouting over the blasting wind.

"How will we find the Mulldack?" It seemed to Ruby this was an impossible task.

"I can feel him. He is nearby, the power he commands radiates from his body."

Z gazed over the Paperwing's tail, looking down onto the battlefield as they left it behind. There was a sound, like a quick intake of breath and something flashed over his shoulder. A second flash, accompanied by a ripping sound.

"They're shooting at us!"

Mickey let out a high pitched whistle and the Paperwing dived, almost throwing its riders to the battle below.

Z gripped tightly to one side, his stomach flipping wildly as the craft went through a series of evasive dives and swoops, Kiz and Ruby screaming as it bucked and tilted. Bullets tore through the Paperwing's rear, shredding it in seconds and battering the right wing, wind whistling through the bullet holes.

It was no use. All control was lost, a crash landing was inevitable. Mickey tried desperately to remain in the air, but the Paperwing was already diving, faster and faster, picking up speed with every second that flew by. The tail end was now on fire, spreading quickly to the rest of the craft. Z guessed they'd been hit by a stray laser.

And then the ground came rushing to meet them. They clung to the Paperwing, knuckles white with fear as it plunged onwards, travelling almost straight down. Scenery flashed past their eyes, everything a blur. Soldiers were visible, people running and screaming and a haze of green and brown and then nothing, everything blurred by the jerking of the craft.

A stream of light poured from Mickey's staff and the craft slowed its decent, almost as if it had been waiting to cushion the impact. Z realised with a flash of recognition that it the Mickey's half of the Crystal Element that had saved them, but they were still travelling fast. To fast.

The light flashed again and the Paperwing tilted, pulling up from its dive. It was seconds to late. The crafts tail end collided with the ground, flipping the Paperwing over in a tumbling ball of limbs and weapons. Z, Daz and Mickey were ripped from their positions on the first roll, smashing, face up, into the mud below and skidding violently across the terrain, spinning again and again before they finally slid to a halt, crumpled in a heap and groaning.

Kiz and Ruby held on to the destroyed Paperwing as it spun madly, toppling over and over and finally smashing into a small platoon of soldiers. They emerged from the wreck a few seconds later, cut and bruised but with no major injuries. All things considered it was something of a miracle.

"Now what?" Z spat into the mud, a small trickle of blood came with it. His lip was bleeding, he could already feel it swelling, and the wound on his palm had been sliced open in the fall, blood sliding down his wrist.

He surveyed the damage. The Paperwing was gone, devastated, but no one had been critically injured. They had been lucky, the Crystal Element had saved all of their lives.

"Where are we?" It was obvious by now that they were surrounded by their own troops, but they were quite far into the battlefield. An explosion sounded nearby, cannons were being fired and lasers seemed to scar the horizon, the constant chatter of gunfire pressed in on them from all fronts. The Mulldack's army hadn't retreated, they were still fighting, but they had been pushed back, right up to the gates of the fortress itself.

"It looks like we're winning…"

Mickey nodded, his eyes darting from side to side, as if he were accessing each soldier.

"Yes. The Dark Warriors and their comrades have retreated, but they will not surrender unless we kill the Mulldack. We need another way into the fortress." Daz's eyes looked haunted, never settling in one place, the pupils moving swiftly from one thing to the next, like a fly on a dinner plate.

Then Z saw it.

"I've got an idea." Mickey turned to him and, despite the chaos surrounding them, his eyes were totally focused.

"Shoot."

"We commandeer a tank. Shoot our way through to the fortress and crack it wide open. Then all that stands between us and victory is the Mulldack himself."

Mickey nodded. They all did, it was a good plan, risky, but it was the only way.

The Mulldack was waiting. He could sense Mickey's power, the power of the Crystal Element. They were drawing closer.

He grinned to himself, displaying a set of dagger-like teeth. They were playing right into his hands, soon the full power of the complete Crystal Element would be his!

A messenger approached him from the darkness.

"Lord…?"

The Mulldack turned to him, spreading his hands wide.

"Good news I hope?" The messenger ignored this.

"Mickey has a tank, he's using it to wreak a path to the fortress."

The Mulldack grinned once more, a grin that would have turned water to ice and cracked the ice.

"Excellent."

It was almost time.

The roar of the engine was shattering, blasting through Z's head like nothing on earth. It was almost unbearable to be inside the machine and he was sweating already, feeling the effect of the hot, cramped interior and the slick, oil coated controls.

The tank itself was a colossus, an almighty leviathan that surged forward, scattering and eliminating all in its path. It was the perfect weapon. Unfortunately for Z, it was far from perfect to control.

"I don't know how this thing works!"

"Calm down Z, just yank whatever!" Z stared at Daz. Mickey said nothing, so Z spat on his palms, rubbed them together and grabbed the two closest sticks.

The tank began to turn, slowly at first, then faster.

"I think its working!"

Then Z glanced up, gazing through the plasma view-screens into the destruction ahead. There was no destruction. There was another tank.

Z blinked.

"Shit."

Kiz and Ruby were in control of the tanks weaponry. Kiz crouched in the turret, firing shell after shell into the fleeing army of Dark Warriors before her, decimating every barrier in her path.

Ruby was beside her, resting a huge high-powered rifle over the turret's edge. The weapon fired like a machine gun, letting loose a constant barrage of bullets, the barrel heating as it did so and the rifle bucking as it let out its constant stream in a chatter so loud it blocked out all else. Ruby had to grit her teeth and hold tight, firing almost constantly and ripping through the opposition like a knife through cardboard.

Kiz fired again, the shell engulfing an entire defensive station in a mass of fire and debris. The intercom crackled and a voice could be heard over the link. It was Daz.

"Tank! There is a tank to your left, I repeat, incoming tank!"

Kiz grabbed the controls, turning the turret a full ninety degrees. Ruby was already there, but the rifle was having no effect, her slugs bouncing from the armoured plating.

The turret fired, two shots in quick succession.

Both impacted perfectly, thudding into the belly of the Dark Warriors tank and exploding with such force that they almost toppled it completely.

"Good work Kiz!"

Mickey's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Nice shooting."

Kiz had been smiling, but now her grin faltered. Ruby was staring over her shoulder and, turning to look, Kiz felt her smile of satisfaction evaporate. Tanks were approaching them from the west, not just one tank, but an entire squadron. She turned back to the intercom.

"We're not done yet."

Z thumped the tanks dash board, gritting his teeth.

"Can't this hunk of metal go any faster?"

The intercom crackled. It was Kiz.

"We're not done yet." Mickey frowned, gazing intently at the plasma display. Nothing.

"Z, set the screens to rear view."

"How exactly?"

"There a button on the screens underside, just there, see?"

Z tapped it. Daz choked.

"There's a fleet of them!" It was no exaggeration. As they stared, a good five, maybe six tanks stared back at them. Z shook his head.

"Lets just hope this tank can take a beating."

Kiz rotated the turret with speed. She knew their lives depended on it. Tanks are strong, but nothing could withstand the fire power that five could unleash. To her credit she managed to fire a full three shells before they were hit.

The sound was unimaginable. So loud that Ruby's ears felt as if they had been blown from her head. Kiz was screaming and the sound rose above the fading boom. Her arm had been torn into, three deep lacerations where debris had cut into her skin.

Ruby scrambled for the intercom and hit the button.

"Z, how is everyone?" For a second there was no reply and Ruby feared the worst.

"We're fine, but this tank can't take much more and I'm pushing it to the max." Ruby nodded, wasting no more time she grabbed the turret controls and fired at their attacker.

Kiz winced with the pain and tried to regain her seat, but she could not. It was up to Ruby to save their skins. She fired again and again, the shells incapacitating the nearest tank and blowing another onto its side. Two down, but still three more to go.

Quickly, almost without thought she aimed and clicked the triggers. Nothing. Ruby's stomach lurched. She clicked again. Still nothing. That was all there was, just a hollow click evaporating into the chaos surrounding them. Kiz pointed at a small screen to her left, groaning as she did so.

"It needs time to reload!"

"Reload! Reload dammit!"

Their pursuers fired. Three shells, one from each tank. The first one missed, soaring over Ruby's head with an audible whistle and detonating on a battalion of Dark Warriors attempting to charge their tank. Kiz could hear their bullets pinging against the turrets armour. Then the shell hit, a fireball rising through the air and the pinging stopped.

Their luck ran out and the second and third shells hit, lifting the tank into the air with an almighty blast. Z actually rose out of his seat, his head slamming into the cold metal of the tank. The blast had knocked Kiz unconscious and Ruby's arms had been slashed and scorched by the fiery inferno.

Then the tank landed, slamming hard into the mud of the battlefield. With a jolt of recognition Z realised the tank was, in fact, still upright. They still had a chance. He slammed hard on the controls, turning the tank to the left and surging forward, the tread ploughing onwards through the thick, treacherous mud. The fortress was not far, he could see it through the plasma view screens. Just a little further.

Daz was shaking his head, quick, jerky movements.

"We're not going to make it!"

"Yes we will. Not long to go, just a few hundred metres."

It felt as if the entire army of the Mulldack was fighting against them, they could hear the pinging of hundreds, thousands of bullets as they impacted against the tanks sides, resounding through the interior.

It was a strange, uneasy sensation. All around them war was raging, they could hear screams, explosions, bullets, yet simultaneously they were cut off from the outside world. Ruby, however, was not so lucky.

It was a colossal struggle just to keep conscious. Ruby could feel her arms burning with pain, his muscles aching and protesting at every movement, her vision hazy, yet she knew she could not stop.

She turned the turret to face her adversaries and for a second she could not spot them. Then they appeared, the three leviathans coming in for the kill, emerging from the smoke of a thousand explosions.

For a second Ruby faltered. She could not hit all three before they finished her, surely her efforts could achieve nothing? And yet…why were they taking so long…then she remembered the reload time. Despite the haze creeping into her line of vision, the edges of unconsciousness, she forced her mind to focus. Aim. Fire. Aim. Fire.

Two shells, battering the opposing tanks. One slipped forward in the blast, its cannon becoming stuck in the thick, churning mud of battle. The second and third tanks were still on track. Ruby aimed once more, knowing full well that time was against her, and set her palms against the triggers, waiting for the exact moment………NOW!

BOOM!

The shell impacted, the front of her target crumpling like paper and the tank sliding to a halt, its interior control destroyed. Ruby almost collapsed there and then, but her job was not complete. One more. Just one single tank to destroy.

Then she saw the screen. A picture of a single bullet flashing red. They were out of ammo. Ruby felt like she was going to retch. All this for nothing. She turned to look down the barrel of the opposing tank. In seconds a shell would be ready, it would fire and they would be blown into fiery corpses, trapped in a metal tomb.

A voice drifted in over the intercom.

"Ruby? Ruby?"

"We're out of ammo."

"WHAT?"

"We've got nothing left to fire."

Before them the tank roared onwards, taking time to select its target. This time the shell would not miss. That was when it exploded. Ruby watched, an expression of total awe etched into her face, as the Dark Warrior's tank was enveloped in an immense fist of flame and smoke.

"Ruby, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Ruby merely nodded, barely realising that the group within their tank's interior could not see this gesture. Then she looked up and almost gasped in surprise at what she saw. Above them, soaring and swooping through the air, dodging swarms of bullets, was a second Paperwing.

From her vantage point atop the tank Ruby could make out three tiny figures inside it, any further detail was vague, but she already knew who they were. Goofy, Donald and Lirael. She was sure of it.

"Z! it's the others, they're in a second Paperwing!" Even Mickey was surprised at this.

"Who exactly?"

"Donald, Lirael and Goofy, it has to be."

Mickey turned to his comrades.

"It must have been them, they must have destroyed that tank." Z nodded, turning back to his plasma screens. The last thing he wanted was for Lirael to get killed, she was already injured, but he could not help but be grateful for their help. They were going to need all the help they could get.

"We're approaching the fortress gates…can this thing break through?"

"I hope it can. If it dosen't then…well…we're a little stuck." Daz snorted.

"The understatement of the century." But nobody laughed. They were all staring intently at the plasma view screens before them. The end was drawing close, one way or another.

Z hit the controls up to maximum acceleration and the tank roared forwards, scattering the last of the defending Dark Warriors.

"Here we go!"

From the turret Ruby watched as Z steered the tank towards its destination. She should have felt relieved, but she did not. She knew what waited for them in the fortress.

Not far now. A mere twenty metres to the gate. The tank tilted as it climbed the incline and crossed the metal bridge to the fortress. The Dark Warriors were throwing all they had, bullets cascaded from the armour of the tank and lasers scarred its side. Grenades were thrown in the hope of toppling it, but the explosions barely dented the behemoth.

This tank had taken three shells and it would not stop now. Just one final hurdle. Then it arrived. The cannon slammed hard into the metal gate, the entire, immense power of the tank focused on that one point, its engines thundering louder and louder as it strained.

The gate buckled, but it held. At the controls Z pulled back his levers, coaxing the last drop of power from its engines, and thrust forward. The tank slammed its cannon onwards and this time there was a terrible screech of metal and the gate crumpled, dropping to the floor with a resounding clang. The tank surged through the gateway, crushing the gate beneath its immense treads.

They were in. Z paused to wipe the sweat from his brow.

"That was the easy part. Now we find the Mulldack. Mickey?"

"He's in the throne room. I can feel the residue of his power."

Z stood from his seat, attempting to stretch his legs in the cramped, tight space of the tank's belly. Daz moved towards the ladder.

"Lets get out of this thing. Its like a metal crypt, I can almost smell death in here."

They climbed the ladder quickly, and emerged through a hatch within the turret. Ruby barely glanced at them, she was crouched beside Kiz, attempting to treat her wounds. Kiz's arms had been cut deeply and Ruby had torn the sleeve from her shirt, wrapping it tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Kiz's eyelids flickered as she rose from the pit of unconsciousness, wincing at the pain.

Mickey knew that they were both hurt and needed rest, but he also knew there was no time for a such luxury.

"We need to get out of this thing now!"

Together they helped Kiz to her feet and climbed down from the tank, Daz snatching the rifle as he went. Seconds later he was glad he did. Already a good thirty or so Dark Warriors had emerged from the fortress and were slowly circling the group, more and more joining them with every second that passed.

"Mickey, where's the throne room?"

Mickey pointed to a set of huge wooden double doors, a towering marble pillar on either side, supporting a grand balcony overhead. Dark Warriors blocked their pathway, there would be no entry to the fortress. Not without a fight.

Z slid his dual pistols from their holsters, twirling them on his finger tips. Daz hefted the rifle onto his shoulder, where it sat, like a black hawk of death. Ruby unsheathed her mighty sword.

The crowd of Dark Warriors were baying for blood, stamping their feet and holding their weapons high. Then, without warning, the legions parted, two dark figures emerging from the ranks. The first, the tallest of the two, saw Mickey and smiled, a grin that could only be described as demonic.

"So you have come. The Mulldack thought you would."

"Who the hell are you?" Z shouted across the courtyard of the fortress, raising his pistols as he did so.

"I am Dark Goofy and this is Dark Donald. We are the servants of the Mulldack and have come to destroy you and take back what is his!" At this, Mickey stepped forward and addressed the two devilish figures that so resembled Donald and Goofy but with a dark, evil twist.

"Dark Mickey is dead. I killed him. If you wish to take the Crystal Element you must prise it from my cold, dead hands."

Dark Donald laughed at this, his partner licking his lips at the thought.

"We intend to."

Z frowned. One of the Warriors had collapsed, though no one else seemed to have noticed. Then another fell, sprawled against the floor. Coincidence? No, it couldn't be. So what was…then Z remembered. Looking up he spotted it immediately. The second Paperwing!

Almost as if Z's thought had been its cue, the Paperwing soared from the sky, diving into the fortress and spiralling through the air. At the helm was Donald, cradling an assault rifle and, with a chatter that filled the courtyard, he sprayed bullets at the Dark Warriors like rain drops from a cloud.

Panic reigned. Warriors began to drop like flies, but for every one that fell two more emerged through the fortress gates. Screaming and shouting filled the air as Dark Goofy attempted to take control. But the situation was beyond him now and, after a few seconds of helplessness, he abandoned all pretence and dived headfirst into battle.

Z knew this was his chance. He must fight his way through the chaos and, in the confusion, break his way into the fortress. Aiming his pistols he fired at the two nearest Dark Warriors, skipping over their corpses as Mickey joined him, firing blasts of energy from his staff.

A sniper appeared on a battlement and the Crystal Element jerked, a bolt of electricity was sent flying and the sniper was knocked from his perch, spiralling to the floor below.

Kiz was on her feet now, but she had no strength to fight. Daz and Ruby circled her, protecting her from attack as they fought the surging mass of Dark Warriors. Ruby swung her sword and the shrill slash of metal on metal filled the air, the tang of blood and sweat on her lips. Daz loaded a clip into his rifle and pulled the trigger, the rattling shots of machine gun fire blasting into the ranks of the enemy.

It was a futile battle. Despite their valiant efforts, Z knew that they were outnumbered twenty to one and the odds were continually growing, shifting against them.

Then, just as the Dark Warriors were on the verge of the final push to victory, the Paperwing swooped once more, landing in a hail of gun fire, Donald with his rifle and Goofy drawing his sword, slashing and twirling into the melee. Between them Lirael stepped from the Paperwing, brandishing her own sword, the sword Z himself had given her at the battle of Abhorsen's House.

The three fought their way through the mass of Dark Warriors, joining their comrades at the fight's centre.

"Lirael!" Z shouted through the combat, his own pistols darting back and forth as they fired, an almost constant stream.

"Lirael, your leg?"

"Healed." Z understood. Fairy magic had done it, the ability to heal was one of their special attributes. Even as he thought this Fairies were gathering above their heads, their lasers surging into the battle below.

He knew, however, that this was not enough. They needed something big and they needed it now. Z reached for his belt, feeling a Concusser Grenade at his hip. Plucking it free he let it slide into his palm, the pin resting against the butt of his gun, still firing with his second pistol. It took an immense effort of concentration, but somehow he managed it. Dodging the falling axe of his closest assailant, Z shot him between the eyes with one pistol, taking his thumb from the grip of his second, sliding it into the pin of his grenade.

He moved quickly, firing his way through the swarms of Dark Warriors, some twice his size, dodging and weaving as he went. Z found his vantage point. He worked quickly, climbing atop the body of a fallen Warrior. A second beast ran at him, waving a huge knife and Z lashed out, kicking into his chest. The Warrior fell back and Z silenced him with a bullet.

Now it was time. Z jerked his thumb upwards, popping the pin from the grenade, and dropped his pistol into a holster. One hand was now free and, mustering all the power he had, Z chucked the grenade as far as it would go, leaping back from the Warriors corpse.

BOOM!

The explosion was huge, an all encompassing fist of flame and smoke that punched through flesh and bone, sending a wave of renewed screaming and panic in its wake. A path had been carved and Z intended to take it.

"Mickey, this way!" The fighters stormed forward, Mickey's staff blazing as he directed jagged forks of power. Blood and sweat filled the air, the taste of it seeped into Z's throat. Daz and Ruby, shielding Kiz with their weapons, followed, Lirael at their side.

Z stumbled forward, bursting from the mass of Dark Warriors that attacked from every side. The door to the Mulldack lay before him and Z felt his stomach lurch. No time to think. Two Dark Warriors leapt at him, one at his left and the other his right. Z spread his arms wide, a gun in each hand, blasting them to the floor.

He turned, Mickey was behind him, facing the battalions of the Mulldack's army, fighting them back with his staff, the Crystal Element blazing with white fire. Z had never seen it shine like that before, it was enchanting.

Then Daz appeared, his rifle blazing as he fought back the onslaught of Dark Warriors, now joined by groups of Metalheads in their assault. Kiz, Ruby and Lirael followed him, ducking low under the path the rifle's bullets cut. They were at the door, hundreds of Warriors pressing them to its surface. Could they hold out?

"Inside!" Mickey shouted the single word over his shoulder.

"Get inside, now!"

Ruby turned, flinging the doors wide open and the group backed through them, still firing as they went. As soon as they were over the threshold the double doors where slammed shut, Mickey ramming a security bar across it and slamming the thick metal locks into place.

They were in. For a second the hallway was silent, with only the faint murmur of shouting, screaming and explosions from beyond the doors. Mickey was the only one of the six who stayed upright, the rest sliding onto the white marble of the floor and breathing heavily.

It was only now that they fully realised just how tired, how beaten and bruised, they felt. Z's entire body was slick with sweat and, he realised with a sick feeling in his gut, blood. His hair was matted and greasy, his face dark with traces of dried mud. His body heavy with cuts and bruises. Why was he doing this? Because it was all he could do.

The doors was shaking now, rattling as Dark Warriors pounded and sliced at them from the courtyard.

"Where are Donald and Goofy?"

The truth was quickly apparent; they'd left them behind.

"They'll be slaughtered!" Mickey shook his head, stepping back from the rattling doors.

"No. The Warriors are not interested in them, only their commanders. Dark Goofy and Dark Donald, they will fight our two friends."

"We've got to do something!" Ruby stared up at him, looking so helpless as she crouched beside Kiz.

"We can't go back. This is their battle, we cannot fight it for them. We must continue with our own."

Z hung his head for a second, then raised it once more and turned to Mickey.

"Where are we headed?"

"I will guide you there Z. Everyone else must stay."

At first Ruby and Daz protested, but they gave in quickly. They did not want to face the Mulldack. Lirael shook her head.

"No, I'm coming with you. I will not stay here while you fight the Mulldack. My leg is healed, I can barely feel the pain."

Z smiled. He admired her courage, but knew she could not come.

"No. I will not allow it. I brought you here and, as I have said before, I intend to take you back. The last thing I want is for you to get yourself killed."

Lirael rose to her feet, standing above Z with defiance.

"Get myself killed? And what about you? How is it that you feel so certain the Mulldack would kill me and yet you would survive?"

Z was stumped. In truth he did not know why, but he felt certain that the Mulldack wanted him. Why had he sent Daz to him? He wanted the Crystal Element, of course, and Z did not have the second half, yet still the Mulldack wanted him. Did it matter why?

"You are not coming!"

"And why not?"

"Because…" Z looked around, gazing at the tired, dirty faces of his friends. "Because the others need you. This fight isn't over. Do you think that door will hold them? The Dark Warriors will destroy it, they'll tear it apart and then come looking for us. You need to wait here, block the door and defend it for as long as possible."

Lirael struggled to find a reply, but she knew there wasn't one. Z was right. She was needed. She leant forward, her eyes shining. Was that her eye? Z wondered. Was it a tear, a solitary tear, that he saw?

There was no time to think of that, for she leant forward once more, further this time, and kissed him, her soft lips brushing his cheek. Then she drew back, a hollow smile on her lips. Z knew it was not the moment it should have been. It was tainted with sorrow.

He pulled her forward, hugging her tight, and then squeezed her shoulder as he stepped back.

"This isn't the last time." He whispered. "I'll be back. I promise."

Then he turned and joined Mickey and they walked together to the corner. Z looked back one last time, waved and departed.

Mickey and Z turned corner after corner, through the soft, caressing light of the oil lamps that hung from the ceiling above them. The carpet beneath them was read and pristine and seemed almost like blood in the lamp light.

It was not long before Mickey stopped, concentrating hard. Z glanced over his shoulder.

"You sure there's no Dark Warriors in here? They could swarm us."

"No. the throne room area is sealed off from the rest of the fortress."

They continued. It seemed to Z that every step was a step closer to his grave. He tried not to think like that. Mickey was with him, he controlled half the Crystal Element, surely the Mulldack could not defy its power?

"This is the door." Z studied it, but it seemed nothing special. There were no hugely elaborate carvings or emblems. It was a simple structure, but was beautiful in its own, more simplistic way.

Mickey did not ask if Z was ready. He gave Z no advice. It was not needed. Mickey knew very well that you could never be ready for something like this. He opened the door and they stepped inside.

The room was awe inspiring. Its ceiling rose a good forty feet and the roof was painted with inspiring patterns and swirling colours. They were barely visible for the room was very, very dark. A large glass window leant it some light, but the main source were the hundreds of flickering candles.

As the pair walked to the centre of the room it was obvious the Mulldack had laid these out personally. This was his domain, darkness punctuated with sparks of light. Each candle was set in a solid gold holder that reflected the swaying light beautifully. At the rooms end, underneath the slight light provided by the thick but exquisitely carved window there was a small seat.

In comparison with its surroundings the chair looked strikingly modest, but on closer inspection it was made obvious that the throne had been built from thousands and thousands of pearls. Each pearl had been placed with great care and sealed there with melted gold, which was then heated until it solidified into place. It was amazing.

The Mulldack sat upon this throne and, as they walked towards him, he stood, spreading his arms wide. The gesture was friendly, but the smile on the Mulldack's face was filled with hatred.

"Mickey Mouse. How good to see you again. You remember me of course?"

It was not a question. Mickey said nothing.

"And this must be Z? Yes. I've heard all about you, how your bravery destroyed my plan for conquest."

For a second a look of annoyance flickered onto the Mulldack's gaunt features, but it was replaced just as quickly with one of renewed hatred. The Mulldack approached them, taking the three marble steps down to the floor. Now he stood before them, a mere ten feet away. Z felt his blood run cold. He could almost feel the Mulldack's evil, as if it ate away at any warmth the room contained.

"Why have you come? It was foolish of you."

"We have come to settle this. One final time."

The Mulldack laughed at Mickey's words, a short, sharp bark. A laugh that held no humour of any kind.

"Settle this? Your words of bravery are almost as foolish as that of your actions. You have played right into my hands and now I will kill you."

The Crystal Element blazed at these words, as if sensing the danger. The Mulldack laughed once more, this time long and filled with a devilish glee.

"You have brought the Element? Even I did not reckon you that stupid Mouse. I will kill you and prise it from your staff. You have even brought the second half."

This time Mickey's emotionless features crumpled into a frown. The second half? Z could sense something. He knew now that the Mulldack knew something they did not.

"The second half? Of the Element?"

"Yes Z. The second half. I see that you are oblivious to it."

Z's throat was dry, his arms felt limp and useless. He was afraid, terrified. The Mulldack stood before him, at least seven feet tall. Even wearing his black cloak Z could make out his features perfectly, the tiny blue eyes, icy blue, the small pale streak of a mouth, a mouth lined with teeth like knives. The Mulldack's arms were long and powerful and his legs thick, unnaturally so. Z could hear the scratching sound as his claws scarped the marble floor.

Mickey stepped forward, gripping his staff.

"This ends now. We defeated you all those years ago and this time we will destroy you."

The Mulldack growled, baring his teeth. He actually growled, his eyes becoming large and the pupils shrinking to tiny black dots.

"You try it mouse. See what happens, eh? See what I do to your friend here." Z gripped his pistols, removing them from their holsters.

"Nice guns kid. You think they'll be any use?" Z did not reply. Instead he fired, both guns at once.

The Mulldack chuckled. The slugs had, it seemed, disappeared. Then Z noticed the small drops of grey liquid splattered on the marble floor. The bullets had melted. The Mulldack was grinning.

"You want to try that again?"

Z dropped his pistols, letting them clatter to the floor, the sound resonating through the room, piercingly loud in the darkness. He had no use for them, bullets would do nothing this time.

"Give it your best shot." The Mulldack was enjoying himself. It was obvious from his smile, his cold eyes dancing in the candle light. The Crystal Element jerked, a blast of pure energy shooting from it, impacting on the Mulldack with immense force.

For a second he was totally enveloped in white light, the room illuminated with it, every inch laid bare by the glaring brightness. Then it stopped. Time seemed to freeze. The Mulldack emerged, like a shadow from the darkness.

"Dear dear, Mickey. I had hoped that you'd put up a fight, but that was simply pathetic."

The Mulldack's grin evaporated, a sneer of hatred in its place. Then he struck out, a shard of glass flying from his open palm. At first Z thought it _was _glass, a transparent missile, its jagged edge glinting in the pinpricks of golden light.

Impact. The glass hit Mickey's staff and shattered, each piece attacking again and again, hovering in the air and swooping, hundreds of glittering glass spear heads, slashing through Mickey's defences and tearing the staff from his grasp.

It hit the floor with a resounding clang, bouncing barely two feet, yet Mickey could do nothing and Z was as helpless as he. Then the slashing stopped, the glass pieces sucking together like drops of water to form one single missile. Then it hit, as powerful as any blast of energy, knocking Mickey across the room and slamming him into the hard marble wall.

He fell to the floor and collapsed, making no move to stand. Z knew he was unconscious. The Mulldack had dispensed of Mickey as if he was nothing more than a rag doll. Z was alone.

The Mulldack was moving now, a step at a time, turning slowly as he did so. Z knew he was circling him, perhaps waiting for the right second to launch his attack.

"So, its just you and me now. A little defenceless boy. Do you really think you can hope to compete with my power?"

Z said nothing. He knew he had to buy some time. He needed time, time to formulate a plan. He racked his brains for something, anything, he could use to slow the Mulldack's inevitable assault. What was it he had said? Yes. He remembered now.

"The second half." Z blurted it out before he had a chance to contemplate his words. The Mulldack stopped. Then he smiled.

"Ah yes, the second half. I have been searching for the Crystal Element for so many years now. I knew that I must have its complete power. I needed both halves. Mickey carries one, on his staff and I have sought the other for so long. Now it is within my grasp."

"Where is it? How did you find it?" The Mulldack smiled once more, this time a grin of satisfaction and superiority. He revelled in revealing his own genius. Perhaps it would be his downfall.

"How did I find it? It was a simple matter. You see Z, I can sense power. The greater the power the more obvious it becomes. I passed on the gift to a Dark Warrior and sent him in search. It did not take long. You ask where it is? Is it not obvious?"

The Mulldack could see the look of confusion on the human's features.

"No? It amazes me that you have not seen it yet. Haven't you noticed the signs?"

Z knew he should be concentrating on the present. He needed a plan, it would not be long before the Mulldack grew bored and finished him. Despite this, he could not help but wonder what the Mulldack meant. The signs? What signs? Z thought back. He thought back to the time in Abhorsen's House, when Daz had cornered him with the laser cannon. He still remembered his words…

"_Give me the Crystal Element!"_

"_I don't have it!" _

"_Give it to me!" _

_  
"I don't have it!" _

"_I'm giving you one last chance. Give me the Crystal Element or I'll empty this double barrel into your head!"_

The Mulldack had sent Daz to retrieve the Element and Daz had cornered Z…but that must mean…

Z glanced up from his thoughts, a look of clarity dawning on his features.

"Me?" The Mulldack smiled, but it told him nothing.

"Its me isn't it? Somehow I have the second half…you sent Daz to get it, and it was me he asked!"

"Yes it was you. I'm amazed its taken you this long to work it out. Why do you think I sent those Dark Warriors after you?" The words hit Z like a sledgehammer. Those Dark Warriors? He remembered the men in the masks, the men who had chased him, cornered him and forced him through the Fiction Dimension Port with poisonous gas. He remembered what Samos had told him…

"_It seems these particular Dark Warriors were ordered to transform into human form. That way they could go unnoticed. They were probably sent to the world of reality to look for the Crystal Element, but what I don't understand is why they were following Z here."_

Samos has not understood, but now Z did. They had been following him, trying to kill him, he had thought, because it was _he _who had the second half of the Element.

All along they had been looking for it, and it was _he_ who had possession of it. He had stood next to Mickey, listened to him talking of the second half, and all that time it had been right under his nose.

"I've got it. You sent those Warriors to take me to you." Now the Mulldack laughed once more, a laugh of almost insane cruelty.

"No. I sent them to take your corpse to me. They were specially trained, I needed them to kill you without spilling a single drop if your precious blood. That was why they used gas, you remember? It wasn't until after the first assault, when I ordered my men to hit you with grenades, that I realised I needed you to die with no blood spilt."

Still Z was confused. He felt that he was in the centre of a huge jigsaw puzzle and every piece was in place. Except one. The last one.

"Why my blood? Where is the second half, how is it possible that I have it?"

"Ah, Z. Poor little Z. Still no clue? Let me tell you and put you out of your misery. Its because the Crystal Element is in your blood stream, that is why!"

For a second Z did nothing. He did not believe it.

"How?"

"I don't know how. My guess is it was deposited inside you via a warp gate. An amazing coincedence, wouldn't you say? Beyond understanding. The fact remains, however, that the second half is in your blood. Millions of tiny crystal particles, swirling inside your viens as we speak."

Z looked down, staring at his wrists and the criss crossing viens beneath his skins surface. Did the Crystal Element really exist inside his body? It was the only explanation.

"Didn't you wonder how you got so powerful in such a short amount of time? When my Warriors knocked you half to death with a Concusser Grenade you were taken to hospital, correct? I estimate that it was around this time you noticed your body improving drastically."

Z thought back, his head swimming. Now he remembered…

"Your reaction times, your speed, your aim, your stamina and physical abilities. Even your intelligence. All improved with the help of the Crystal Element. Do you see now? You have had it inside your very blood. All this time."

Z looked up, staring directly into the Mulldack's cold, desolate eyes. He knew what was coming.

"You know, of course, what this means, don't you Z?"

Z gave no response. He knew what it meant.

"It means I'm going to have to extract the Element from your viens. A pity really, I had so hoped that you would see me at my full power."

The Mulldack tightened his fists and Z felt every muscle in his body contort. He could not move…the Mulldack had trapped him, he was unable to lift a finger.

"It is time, I think."

The Mulldack strode towards Z, stopping inches from his outstretched arms. Z struggled, but it was no use. He could not even scream, all he could manage was a deep throaty growl. An invisible power held him in place. The Mulldack opened a fist and extended a claw, razor sharp and glittering in the candle light. He leant forward and placed the claw's tip on Z's wrist, a single drop of blood springing from the pierced skin, the claw absorbing it in seconds.

The Mulldack sighed.

"Ahhh. Its been so long. I am so very sorry Z, but for you, this is the end."

With a roar of pure rage, the Mulldack sliced his claw across Z's wrist, slashing through the vien.

Lirael crouched in the corridor, the double doors exploding inwards to the chatter of gunfire, splinters cascading to the floor. The Dark Warriors, it seemed, had gotten hold of a gun an

d they were using it. In seconds they had blasted through the wooden doors and were proceeding to slash their way inwards with swords, shattering what remained of the barrier.

Daz and Ruby had found what furniture they could, a few chairs and some small tables, and piled them up against the door, but the Warriors would quickly rip them to shreds once they were inside.

Kiz was conscious now, sitting upright. She was not badly injured, but she knew she was too weak to fight. So, for that matter, was Ruby. All they had was Daz's rifle and three ammo clips. Once that was gone they would have to retreat.

A Dark Warrior stuck his head through the hole in the doors, ramming his axe in and tearing it back feverishly. The door splintered, huge sections falling away, Warriors pressing their bodies through, crowds forcing their way inwards. They were mad with bloodlust now, using every ounce of strength to attack the door. Again it splintered. The group knew they had ten minutes, max, before they were corpses in the corrdior.

Daz fired through the piled furniture, the force of the bullets pushing back the assault. Then it returned, even stronger than before, stamping and shouting and growling.

"Daz, how much longer?"

"Not long I'm afraid. We have two clips plus this one. Enough to keep them back for a few minutes once they break through. After that…" Ruby stood, clutching her sword.

"We can fight them." Her voice carried no conviction.

"No. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, all waiting to pour inside. They'd tear us to shreds." Kiz nodded.

"Z and Mickey are our only hope now."

Daz glanced around, scanning the corridor for any sign of their return.

"Wait a minute…where's Lirael?" All three turned to look, but, sure enough, Lirael was nowhere to be seen.

Outside the noise was horrendous. Thousands of Dark Warriors had swarmed back into the fortress, most for security against Mickey's army. The Dark Warriors were mostly dead, only forty thousand or so remained, about a quarter of which had taken shelter inside the fortress, the rest fighting in a hopeless last stand.

Donald and Goofy, however, had been forgotten. In a small corner of the courtyard they fought, twirling their blades with skill as they battled their clones. Dark Goofy and Dark Donald, servants of the Mulldack.

Then Donald fell, blood spilling from his wound and splattering upon the grass. Goofy appeared at his side, knocking back the final blow with his own blade. He fought them both, with a ferocity that defied his character. Then the first of Mickey's troops broke through the gateway and rushed to his aid.

Dark Goofy and Dark Donald were killed, and the injured Donald carried away on a strecther. The first battles had been won and Goofy knew that the end was close, but despite this he did not feel safe. Not yet. He would not, not until the Mulldack was defeated once more.

Z could feel the perspiration sliding down his brow, his heart beat quickening with each second, yet he could do nothing, he could not pull away. He knew it was over, it was all over. What hope was there now? The Mulldack had control.

"Ahhh. Its been so long. I am so very sorry Z, but for you, this is the end."

Then he roared, a snarl that made Z's blood run cold. Blood the Mulldack would now extract.

He brought down his claw, slashing through Z's left wrist and slicing the vien in two. Z tried to scream, but he could not, he could not even close his eyes. The Mulldack moved his claw, carving open Z's right wrist and standing back as his blood spurted out like a fountain from the two horrific wounds.

Z could do nothing but stare in horror at his wrists as his heartbeat pumped the life blood from his body. The pain was like nothing he had ever felt, it was intense, excruciating, an all-consuming fiery agony that burnt like the flames of hell.

He wanted to scream, to fight, to plummet into unconciousness. He could do nothing. Z could not even tend to his wounds, or clutch his arms or writhe in pain. He was utterly fixated.

All the while the Mulldack absorbed his blood, and with it half the power of the Crystal Element. With every drop of blood that fell the Mulldack grew stronger and Z grew weaker. It was as if he was sapping the life force from Z's body.

The pain had lost its edge, the searing agony dulling slightly, but Z knew that this was not a good sign. He could feel himself slowly slipping into death, years evaporating with every second that passed. Z knew he would die, and die horribly, if he did not do something _now. _

Yet nothing could be done, his energy was leaking and death was advancing. Now Z's vision grew dark and hazy, the ground seemed to sway beneath him and the darkness beckoned for him to give in. Make it easy on himself.

No. Fight to the last breath. Fight for each second. He could see the Mulldack before him, growing stronger and more powerful and knew he could not let it happen. His hatred would give him strength.

On the edge of death, Z barely noticed the noise at first, but then he heard it, a faint note on the edge of his hearing. He felt his strength returning, hope propelling him onwards, and the sound grew louder. It was a note…like…the ringing of a bell…Lirael!

The Mulldack screamed with rage, the moment of his triumph interrupted by this girl. No matter, he thought, he would finish with Z and then dispose of this weakling. She would be powerless to stop him.

Lirael herself almost threw up when she saw the scene, having come to help Z and Mickey. The king himself lay unconscious, perhaps worse, and Z was standing before the Mulldack, unable to move with blood spurting from his wrists and splattering the floor like water from a tap.

She controlled herself, knowing instantly what she must do. Reaching, her hands shaking with fear, for her bell bandoleer, she removed Kibeth, the bell of movement.

Kibeth, she knew, has the ability to take or grant movement to whoever hears it. Lirael focused her will, ignoring the severity of her situation, and rang it, its deep tone echoing throughtout the cavernous throne room.

Z scrambled back from death's edge, his senses returning to him. He had a minute to live, no more. The pain was almost unbearable and Z fell to his knees, crossing his arms over his chest.

He could move! How? Z focused all his strength and turned his head, wincing at the pain. There was Lirael, standing in the flickering candle light. She had come to help them. She was ringing a bell and Z knew instantly that it was the bell's power that had saved him.

Had it saved him? No. He had, perhaps, thirty seconds to live. He had lost to much blood, even if the flow was stopped he would still die. Was there a way out?

"NO! How is this possible?" The Mulldack screamed with anger. "What kind of magic do these bells possess?"

"Z…" A voice croaked. It was not Lirael, all her energy was concentrated on the bell. Who else could it be?

"Z…take the staff…" Mickey! He was alive, but barely conscious. "Take it…touch the Crystal Element. You need its power, the two halves will combine through your body…hurry Z. Take it…"

Z crawled to the staff, but he knew he would not reach it. It took all his concentration to move a few feet and the pain was immense. Z realised with a sick lurch that he was caked in blood, he had pressed his wrists to his chest and bled into himself, soaking his shirt and skin.

"Help me…" Z spat the words, the pain dulling once more as he lapsed into unconciousness. He knew he would never wake. The Mulldack growled, leering in hatred.

"What have you done little girl? I have lost precious blood due to your magic!" He struck quickly, electricity exploding from his palm. Lirael screamed, falling backwards, but she was unhurt. Kibeth, her bell, was destroyed.

The Mulldack spat, stepping forwards through pools of Z's blood, absorbing its power as he went. When his thirst was quenched he walked forwards, striding past Z's corpse, and stopped before the two figures, Mickey and Lirael. The Mulldack grinned.

"The girl and the mouse. You will die next. Then the full extent of the Element's power will be mine at last."

"No…" Mickey rose to his knees and steadied himself, climbing awkwardly to his feet.

"You dare defy me? You do not have a prayer mouse. I have destroyed you once, I will do it again." Mickey bent low, gripping his staff in both hands and picking it from the marble floor.

"Not if this has anything to do with it."

"What do you hope to achieve mouse? The last time you used your staff, despite it holding half the Element, it did not help you. You can not hope to control the Element's power."

Mickey smiled. For a second the Mulldack's stare of hate fueled arrogance faultered.

"It is not for me."

"No? Then who is it for?"

"Its for Z."

Then he threw it. The Mulldack barely had time to register what had happened before the staff was twirling through the air, like the blades of a magnificent chopper. Mickey had thrown it with all his strength and his aim was true. The staff sailed over the Mulldack's head and landed next to Z's corpse, stopping there, but continuing to twirl where it rested.

"That is your plan? To throw it away from me?"

The staff was still twirling, making slow progress as it went. With one last shift the staff moved an inch to the left, an inch closer to Z's outstretched palm. Then it happened, the staff completed one final revolution and the Crystal Element swept against Z's fingers, gently brushing each and settling against his thumb.

Z's body jerked, as if hit by a stream of electricity, and sparks began to pour from the Element, seeking out his wounds.

"No…NO! What have you done mouse? What have you DONE?"

The sparks were streaming now, racing to Z's wrists and flowing into his wounds, returning power and life to his body.

"NO! This is not possible! No one can rise from the dead, it can't be happening, how can you do this?" The Mulldack charged towards Z's body, but he was to late.

The Crystal Element that had once been fixed to Mickey's staff was gone. It had been replaced by ten million sparks of pure power, each one absorbed by Z's body, replacing the blood he had lost. Returning his life.

Z's eyes flicked open. The Mulldack stopped in his tracks.

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

Z smiled, pushing himself to his feet. He was smaller than the Mulldack, much smaller, but somehow Z managed to tower over him. For the first time the Mulldack looked scared, terrified even.

Looking down at his wrists Z saw the last of the sparks dissapear inside him. Then a glaring white light shone for an instant, sealing his wounds. Two viscious scars stood out from his flesh.

Z walked slowly forwads, edging towards the Mulldack. Then he stopped, holding up his arms to give a clear view of the duel scars.

"I'm gonna make you pay."

"NO! Get back, stay away from me!" The Mulldack looked truly scared.

"What did you call me? A poor, defencless little boy? Lets see how defenceless I am now, shall we?"

The blood that had caked Z's shirt was disappearing, his skin sucking it back inside, every Crystal particle increasing his strength. Now Z stooped low, brushing his hand across the remaining pools of blood. They evaporated, sparks swarming across his arms.

"Now I am ready." Z advanced on the Mulldack, stalking him. Now the demon was screaming in terror.

"No! NO! You can't do this, please NO! NO!"

Z grabbed the Mulldack by the shoulders, digging his fingers in with all his strength, draining the Element's power from his body.

More sparks rushed, this time draining the Mulldack of his power and strength. In less than a minute Z stopped and the Mulldack fell back, whimpering in fear.

Now Z was charged with the full power of the complete Crystal Element. For the first time in hundreds of years the Element was complete again, both halves brought together in one body. Z possessed their full power. His vision buzzed, his heart beat at double the speed, everything he saw he saw with a new clarity. He could feel the immense strength pulsing through his viens.

He could do anything! Z looked down at his body and realised for the first time that his skin was white. Not just pale, but actually white, snow white. His eyes, although he could not see them, had coloured gold.

He looked terrifying, but also magnificent, every inch of exposed skin white with the Element's power. Then he spoke and his voice boomed, five times its normal volume, with great authority.

"I cannot let you leave. I know that once before you were defeated, but you came back to power. This time you will not be so lucky, Mulldack. It ends here. Now."

The demon screamed with anger and rage, bitter sorrow at his defeat.

"You cannot kill me!" He screamed each word, building all his vocal power. "I am the Mulldack, the greatest of all Dark Lords! If you, a mere boy, can return from death, as can I!"

Z shook his head, gripping the Mulldack with both hands.

"Your not coming back from this."

"_NO!_"

Pure energy buzzed through Z's body, swirling and building, shooting through his arms like a bullet from a gun. The Mulldack, writhing in his grip, was blasted with the power of an atomic bomb.

The demon's eyes melted in their sockets, his skin shrivelling, his arms burning with white flames, the unnatural fire licking his body. In a second the scream of anguish died in his throat and life left him. The Mulldack was gone, nothing more than a husk of flesh and bone.

Z let the gortesque corpse fall limp, then he heaved it upon his shoulder and, charging his strength with the power of the Crystal Element, threw it across the throne room.

The sound of broken glass. The shrill shriek of a thousand shards plummeting to the ground. The great glass window, beyond the throne itself, had shattered as the body of the Mulldack impacted upon it. Light poured into the room, spreading its cruel, harsh gaze upon it and Z saw the shadow of the Mulldack's corpse suspended for a second, visible in the air as it began its decent. A shadow cast mometarily against the sun, a thousand shards of glass surrounding it as they fell to the marble, each refelecting the rays of light.

Then it fell. The dead, cold body of the Mulldack plunged down, crashing hard into the wall of the fortress as it went, until it came to rest, slamming into the earth, shattering the bones and splitting open the corpse. The Mulldack was no more.

Z turned back to Lirael and Mickey, both now on their feet. He walked back towards them.

"He's gone. He won't be back."

It was over. It was finally over.

"Its time to go home."

In the corridor the final remanants of the barricade were crushed and the Dark Warriors swarmed inside. Mickey's army had broken inside the fortress, but this would not stop them. They were mad with bloodlust and the remaining Warriors would not hold back.

Daz fired, the sound of machine-gun chatter filling the corridor. There was nothing left between him and the Warriors, all they had left was the rifle. With trembling fingers Daz loaded the final clip, spaying its contents through the doorway, slashing the demonic assault in half.

Then there was a dull click and Daz realised they were out of ammo.

"I've got nothing left!"

Kiz and Ruby charged forward, Ruby with her sword and Kiz holding a single giant star blade. They fought bravely, steel clashing with steel, but there were to many Warriors. For every one they killed two more would appear in its place. In seconds they had worn away any energy that had built and their attacks began to slow.

"Retreat! There's nothing you can do!" Kiz turned, a Warrior's sword catching her arm as she went, causing her to scream with pain. Now the demons swarmed the corrdior, destroying all in their path.

The little group ran, using the last reserves of their energy in a final sprint. Then they stopped. At the end of the corridor three figures had appeared.

"Mickey! Lirael!"

The Dark Warriors stopped in their tracks, gazing at the white figure. Who was he?

"Z…is…is that you?"

"Yes. I have absorbed the power of the complete Crystal Element. The Mulldack is dead. This battle is over."

The Dark Warriors could not believe it. The great Mulldack, dead? It could not be possible. Z approached them.

"You want proof?"

Energy blazed through his veins and his skin shone with renewed power.

"Take this as proof!"

For an instant the corrdior shone a glaring white, then jolts of power shot from Z's fingers, each spearing a Warrior.

Slowly Z stepped forwards, his white light cutting down any Warrior in his path.

"Retreat!" They screamed the words, but it was already to late. By the time Z stepped out into the courtyard of the fortress, Mickey's army had them surrounded. They surrendered, any one who fought onwards was slashed down by the power of the Crystal Element. The battle was finished, the Mulldack defeated and his army all but destroyed.

There was work to be done. Bodies to bury. War does not come without a price to pay. For now, however, Z had done his job. He, along with his friends, collapsed upon the grass of the courtyard and fell into a deep sleep.

This day was finished and tomorrow it would start anew.

And so it ends. Next week: Chapter 15, the final chapter of Dimension Domination. What will happen in the stories closing stages, will Z return to Earth? Which secrets are left to be revealed? Return next Monday for the answers to these questions and the climax of DD.

Z


	15. Earth Rift

Chapter 15

Earth Rift

The battle was finished, the Mulldack defeated and his army all but destroyed.

There was work to be done. Bodies to bury. War does not come without a price to pay. For now, however, Z had done his job. He, along with his friends, collapsed upon the grass of the courtyard and fell into a deep sleep.

This day was finished and tomorrow it would start anew.

_7 days later…_

The fortress had undergone extensive repairs since the battle, but now, a week since, it was looking a little better. The brutal scars of battle, the blood, the bodies, the craters, had been removed and it looked far more hospitable.

Some things were not so easy to take away or repair. Much of the fortress had been destroyed and it would take many months to rebuild. The lives that had been lost, of course, were never to return.

Z knew that it was time to leave. He had fulfilled his part of the bargain, the Mulldack was defeated and peace restored and now it was time to go home. His real home, planet Earth. So why was he upset? Z guessed he must have grown attached to this world, as crazy as it was, but he had to go. It was, after all, only fiction. But how hard to tell yourself that after having almost given your life to save it?

The sun was rising over the horizon, the start of a new day. Z sat on his hill, watching the golden spectacle of light. It was still morning, and the grass was wet with dew, but he did not mind. Watching the sunrise from a hill in the great fields of Disney Creek. It was the last time he would do so.

Z heard a shuffling of the grass and he turned to see that Lirael had joined him.

"Good morning. It's a nice day."

"Yes."

An awkward silence fell.

"Lirael…you know…I'm leaving today. Okay?" She did not look surprised to hear it.

"Really? Oh…"

"Yeah. Mickey promised he would send me back to Earth today."

"So…this is the last time you'll ever sit in Disney Creek, huh?"

"I guess so."

A butterfly flew by. Z noticed its wings, the beauty of its colour and grace. Just a simple butterfly, yet so complex in its design.

"You've been coming to this hill every morning since it happened."

Z turned to gaze at her, but said nothing. He looked back at the butterfly as it rested upon a flower.

"I know."

"Why?" Z thought for a moment. Why had he been coming here?

"I suppose its because I like it. Its peaceful. There's no noise here and you can listen to the birds sing. I never used to listen to them, not much anyway. They sing so beautifully, yet I never noticed it before. Why do you think that is?"

"I don't know…"

"I think its because I took it for granted. Back in the throne room, with the Mulldack. I was almost killed. I felt the cold embrace of death. Do you know what it taught me?"

"No. What? What did it teach you?"

Z turned back to the butterfly. It glided silently over the grass, brushing each blade.

"It taught me to savour life. It taught me to admire the beauty of nature, to look, each day, at how precious each moment can be. We don't live for ever, you know."

Lirael was concerned. She knew Z had been through a lot, but even so, this wasn't like him.

"Z…when you died…what did you see. Afterwards, I mean. What comes after death?"

Z turned back to her, and stared deep into her eyes.

"You wouldn't understand it. Its not like this life, not at all. Its so…so very different. You don't see things in the same way. If you see them at all. All I can tell you for sure is that its not like this life. Savour every moment of this life, because the next isn't the same."

The butterfly flapped its wings, soaring high into the clouds until Z could see it no more.

"So," he said, grinning broadly. Lirael sighed. It was the same old Z she had known. "Lets go get my guns."

"Why do you want them? Do you need them?"

"No…not really. I guess I want them because…because they're mine. I want them because they're mine. I haven't had the courage to go back and get them yet. Now I shall."

They walked back to the fortress together, through the great field. Workers were walking back and forth, carrying large stones and wood in stretchers. They came to the gates. They were new, Z remembered how his tank had destroyed the old ones, and Mickey had replaced them.

The courtyard was next and as they opened the gate they caught sight of a few familiar faces. There was Rikku, amongst the crowd, and Jak carrying working tools.

Z walked onwards, to the great wooden doors that led to the corridor beyond, where, only a week previously, his friends had fought for their lives. No workers had been through these doors, most out of fear.

Lirael pushed them open and they walked to the corridors end, a few splashes of Dark Warrior blood still smeared upon the walls. Then came the doors to the throne room.

"Z, are you sure you want to go back inside?"

"Yes. I have to get my pistols, I can't leave them."

The doors creaked open and they entered once again the magnificent, massive throne room. The window was still shattered, no one had replaced it. (although the body of the Mulldack had been removed and burnt to ashes) The candles had long since burnt out, tiny stumps of wax remaining. Thousands of glass shards covered the floor like a glittering carpet, and, in the centre of this, lay Z's duel guns.

Daylight had flooded the room and any menace it had once held had gone with it. Z walked through the shards, the sound of cracking glass and his footsteps echoing on the marble filled the room. He stopped before his pistols, bent down and picked them up.

Lirael thought she heard him speak. She could not be sure, but it sounded like "I've missed you."

Z holstered one gun and wiped the other clean with his sleeve, then he did the same with the second. When they were gleaming once again he holstered both and headed back for the door, where Lirael was waiting.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine."

"Come on." She said. "Lets get you home."

Z smiled as Lirael walked back out into the corridor, then he turned, took one last look at the throne room, and closed the door behind him.

"Hey, Z, Lirael! Wait up!" Daz shouted over as they left the corridor behind them. He ran over, panting for breath.

"Come on…you've got to follow me back to the fields…its time." Z nodded. He understood. They left the fortress, Z reflected, for the last time. He turned back briefly to catch a glimpse of it, it was so beautiful, even with the damage. Lirael pulled his arm and they continued.

Daz broke the silence.

"So, are you both going back?"

"I'm going. I like it here, but Earth is my home. My real home. I have to go back. How about you Daz?"

"Yes. I'll go back to Blitzen City. I have work there, but fist I must destroy the Fiction Dimension Port. Its far to dangerous, anyone could use it to break into the fiction world for their own purposes."

They wondered on through a field of waist high flowers, each pink with a purple centre and hundreds of insects buzzing from one to the next.

"Lirael? Are you going back?"

"Yes…I suppose. I have no where else to go."

A huge black shape loomed on the horizon. Z brushed his pistols with his thumbs, despite already knowing what the shape was. As they walked closer it became obvious the shape was a marble statue of some sort. It had been carved from black marble, as black as coal. The first piece was easily over ten feet tall, flat and shaped roughly like a tomb stone. This was positioned upright, atop another slab of black marble, twice the size, acting as a sort of platform.

Into the standing piece thousands of words were carved, each carved word painted in gold. The words were names, each and every one of them. This was a war memorial.

For a few minutes the little group stared at the marble tablet in silence. Lirael bent down beside it and plucked a handful of pink and white flowers, gathering them into a bunch. She stepped forward onto the raised platform and dropped the bunch onto it, so that the bright petals brushed the golden names at the bottom of the list. Then they moved on.

"That…was a nice gesture Lirael." Silence returned. In the distance they could see a group of people, maybe five or more, congregating on a small hill. Z knew that among them were Mickey and Samos, the people that would transport him back to Earth. Soon he would be home once more.

A few minutes later Z, Daz and Lirael arrived, joining the group.

"Good to see you again."

"You to Ruby." Lirael smiled. Kiz turned to them and grinned, happy they had come. She had made a good recovery, her strength had returned, a few scars and burn marks all that was left of the damage.

Z shivered, looking down at his own wrists and the scars that they bore. That they would always bear. Facing away from him were, as he had expected, Mickey and Samos, sitting on the grass and meditating. He approached Goofy.

"Why aren't they greeting us?"

"Because they're meditating, building energy and strength. They need it to send you back to Earth. It requires a great deal of power."

A summer breeze blew over the hill, rustling the grass. The world, it seemed, was still.

"How's Donald?"

"He's doing fine. He wanted to come and see you go, but he isn't strong enough yet. The injury was pretty serious, but a Fairy managed to heal him in time. He'll make a full recovery, he just needs some rest, that's all."

"Glad to hear it."

Goofy turned away for a second, uncertain if he should ask Z the question they all wanted to know.

"Z…how are you?"

"I'm fine…why?"

"No, I mean…how are you feeling after…you know."

Z knew what Goofy meant. He was surprised no one had asked sooner. After Z had killed the Mulldack and shattered the remains of his army, he had fallen to the grass in a deep sleep. When he awoke, his skin was no longer white and his eyes had returned to their normal colour. The power of the Crystal Element had receded.

However, Z noticed he did feel different. Since he had absorbed the full power of the complete Element Z felt stronger and faster than before.

"It has not come back. When I went to sleep the power left me, for the moment at least."

Mickey finally stood from his meditation and addressed the group.

"I am glad you have come. It is time now."

"Mickey…I have to ask you something…"

The question had been spiralling through Z's head for days. He had to ask it now, it was his last chance.

"Go ahead."

"My power…will it return?"

"You mean the complete power? The full transformation?" Z nodded. Mickey sighed, leaning upon his staff. Half of the Crystal Element had once been fixed atop it, but no longer. Now it ran through Z's veins.

"Its hard to say. I think, however, that it will. The Crystal Element is within you, Z, there is no way of ridding yourself of it. It will likely return in full force, as it did when you faced the Mulldack. When? I cannot say, though I would guess when you are feeling strong emotion, anger or grief could set it off."

Z looked at his feet. He had been scared of this. What if he ever got angry at someone? What if he burst into white flame and killed them?

"Do not worry yourself Z. What you have is a gift, a blessing, not a curse. You are in control of your power. It will not be a danger to you. Now we must set up the Rift."

Mickey walked over to Samos, shaking him on the shoulder. The sage stood from his meditation.

"Is it time to send them back old boy?"

"Yes. Prepare the Rift!"

Lirael frowned, turning to Goofy.

"Rift? Why a Rift, why not a Porthole?"

"A Porthole is a shift in the fabric of space that allows those who use it to travel from one point to another, between worlds and dimensions. However, fiction and reality, as they are called, are not different worlds or dimensions. We have discovered they are, in fact, different universes. To travel between them you need a Rift and a Rift requires immense power, much more than a Porthole. Samos and Mickey will have to work together to achieve it."

Samos turned to Daz.

"We'll send you back first. Ready?"

"Yes…I'm ready." Daz took a deep breath. He'd travelled through these before. He would be okay. Samos plunged his staff into the ground and Mickey did the same, power coursing through their bodies. Mickey's staff began to glow a bright blue, then Samos felt his staff channel a surge of energy, and it began to shine a blood red. Mickey and Samos held hands, clasping tightly, and the energy they had collected began to clash violently, the blue mixing and twirling into the red until all that was left was a sharp, clear purple energy, the product of the two.

Together they let the combined power course through them, then Mickey raised his staff high and Samos followed, the purple energy rushing to the two pillars, collecting at the twin peaks.

Z stared on in awe. It was amazing, he had never seen such a sight. He glanced round, and saw in an instant that people were watching. Down in the field a group had formed, maybe fifty people or more, all come to watch the spectacle. Z saw a few people he knew, Jak and Ratchet were there, as was Alex and Flames, Z's dragon friend. A few were waving, saying goodbye for the final time.

Mickey cried out, a single word that was lost in the rushing noise of the energy, like a thousand waterfalls. Then the purple mass of power shot out from the two points where it had collected, forming two ropes of energy that began to twirl into each other, swirling and entwining until they become one.

They spiralled out once again and now Z could see that it was forming a shape, a gargantuan circle in the air. So this was the Rift, like a massive porthole in the air, formed from pure potent power. Now Z understood why they had to create the Rift in the fields of Disney Creek. It was to large, to powerful, to be summoned within the fortress walls.

And now the purple colour began to clear, with every second that passed it was becoming transparent. Daz gasped. It was like a giant window to another world. Another universe.

The colours were collecting and now they could all see, in perfect clarity, the destination. Through the Rift was Daz's lab. There was no mistaking it. Z could see every detail, the same grey metal tables, the same discarded coffee mug, the same green curtain, behind which the Fiction Dimension Port lay in wait.

There was no doubt, none at all. The Rift was showing a glimpse into its destination. Blitzen City.

Electricity crackled through the air, booming out into bigger streaks. They could not hold the Rift open for much longer. Daz had to go now.

"Daz…go!"

"One second." Daz turned from Goofy. He had to say goodbye.

"Before I go, I want to say thank you. Thank you all. Goodbye Kiz, Ruby. You to Lirael, you saved us all." He hugged them each in turn, trying to hold back his tears.

"Goodbye Z. You were a good friend, but I understand that you must go home now. It is your path, you must follow it. I will return to my home and you must to."

"Goodbye Daz. I hope I see you again one day."

They hugged tightly, and Daz stepped back, turning to the Rift.

"Thank you Goofy. I have no doubt you have saved all our lives many times."

"Just doing my duty."

Daz turned towards his friends, seeing them for what would be the last time. He waved once, stepped forward and was sucked into the Rift. In seconds he was gone and the Rift collapsed, the purple energy returning to the bodies of Samos and Mickey. The two sat down on the grass once more, meditating.

"They need a rest." Goofy explained. "Even keeping the Rift open for a short period of time takes immense strength. They need to meditate for a while. They should have the required strength in…ten minutes. No more."

Ruby was crying now, although silently, the tears running down her cheeks without a sound. Lirael sat upon the hill's edge, hugging her knees tight to her chest.

Z could barely believe it. Daz was gone. He was back in Blitzen City. Would he ever see him again? Z doubted it. Would it be the same for Lirael, Kiz and Ruby? Perhaps he would never see them again either. Z stood, watching the shimmering air as the last vestiges of energy crackled and evaporated.

Soon he would be back on Earth. Was it really what he wanted?

Daz stumbled from the Rift, falling face first onto the cold floor of his lab. He picked himself up, glancing around. It was his lab, that was for sure. The coffee mug he had drained before falling into the Fiction Dimension Port was still there, sitting atop his metal desk.

Everything was the same. Nothing at all had changed. Why? It only took Daz a few minutes before he found his answer. There was red tape across every doorway, blocking access to the room in which he stood. He bent down, looking closely at the tape. Printed upon it were the words 'Police: Do not enter'

Daz stood, frowning. So his lab was a crime scene now. Of course. Those men who had forced them through the Fiction Dimension Port had used poison gas and Z had killed at least two of them. It was an emergency incident and the police force would have been called immediately.

That, of course, meant trouble for Daz. He had to get out of his lab before any officers returned to the scene. First, however, there was one last job to do.

Daz walked briskly across his lab and threw back the green curtain, stepping through the mass of red police tape as he did so. In the centre of this room was a hulking circular object with a white sheet thrown over it. So the police had seen his invention. He would have to hope they had not taken any notes on how it operated.

Working quickly now Daz yanked back the sheet, the dark centre of the Fiction Dimension Port staring back at him. For a few seconds he did nothing but gaze at this miracle of science that he had created.

Then he shook himself. He had to destroy it, Daz could not let anyone get their hands on his device. If they did it would spell destruction for the world of fiction. Daz slid a hand inside his pocket, gripping tightly to the small pistol he had placed there.

He withdrew, levelling his weapon at the Port's control panel. For a second he held still, then realising he could delay no longer. He gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger.

The bullet shot straight into the heart of the control system, destroying it in an instant. The green display light winked once and disappeared. The Fiction Dimension Port was no more.

Daz nodded, turning and climbing back through the web of red police tape. He took one last look at his surroundings and left the lab for the last time, locking the door behind him.

Z sat upon the hill, Lirael Kiz and Ruby lying against him sleepily. It was almost time and Z watched as more and more people congregated in the field, ready to watch his departure. He spotted Cloud amongst them, climbing onto the back of Flames and hoped the dragon would be cared for.

Then the air began to crackle. Lightening streaks popped and whizzed around them, the air swirling to a point. Z stretched and yawned, opening his eyes fully and shaking Lirael gently.

"Goofy…do you feel it, in the air?"

The swirling was intensifying, bolts of energy surging around them. There could be no mistaking it, a porthole was about to appear, but who had made it? What was its purpose?

The entire group had awakened now, Kiz and Ruby still sitting and stretching their legs.

"What is it? What's going on?"

"It's a porthole isn't it?" Goofy nodded, as perplexed as they were. Now the shape emerged, a circle of streaking blue energy.

Z tensed, stroking his guns. Then he remembered.

"Its okay. No need to worry." Lirael turned to him.

"Who is it?"

"It's the Fairies. I had forgotten my promise to them. They're here to mind wipe us. They can't afford to let us go while we still hold the knowledge of their race. Crazy, of course. They are fictional beings, and, further more, they are in a book back on Earth. Our knowledge cannot harm them, but they do not understand that."

The porthole was complete, a swirling mass of energy, hovering inches from the ground. Then they emerged, three figures. At first they appeared as shadows, human in shape. It looked as if the shadows were travelling through a tunnel, about to emerge at the other end.

The first Fairy pushed through and the shadow became a blaze of white light. Then the porthole opened fully and the three Fairies fell to the ground, carrying with them a bulk of equipment. Two large white cylinders, a flat panel computer screen on the side of one, each connected to the other by two great lengths of tubing. On the end of a third tube was a small device, a little like a Hoover's nozzle. It was a daunting piece of kit.

"Z, we can't let them mind wipe us! I want to keep my memories."

Z stepped forward, addressing the Fairies as a group.

"You are late."

"Late?" The leader of the bunch squeaked, a shrill voice that rather grated upon the ears.

"Yes, late. My friend has already gone through the Rift."

It took a moment for the information to sink in.

"WHAT? You let him leave before we arrived?"

"Yes, its not as if we'd wait for you. There's no point now, leave while the porthole still works."

One of the Fairies, the youngest judging by his features, turned to leave, but was stopped by his comrade.

"We are not going. Our orders were to come and mind wipe you. If one has already left, we will just have to mind wipe the rest of you."

Z paused, contemplating. Was it really the best idea to tell them that they were nothing more than fictional characters? Probably not. He had a better idea.

"So, your definitely going to mind wipe us?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes! We are going to mind wipe you all, you are trying my patience!"

"And how do you propose to do that when none of your equipment works?"

The Fairy did a double take.

"Well…what? None of our equipment is broken. It works fine."

Z snatched a gun from his holster, gripping its the barrel. He aimed carefully and fired two shots, the first ripping open the lengths of tubing and slashing through the wires within. The second shot buried itself into the cylinder's computer screen, each of its green lights flickering to red.

"It works fine? Perhaps you'd like a second opinion?" Z grinned, holstering his weapon. The Fairy's little faces had turned a deathly pale, their eyes gazing blankly at the ruined mind-wipe technology.

"I'm leaving now. We're all leaving."

Mickey and Samos stood together, turning back towards them.

"We have gained sufficient energy. We're ready when you are."

Z nodded. He gestured to the Fairies.

"Leave us." For a moment they hesitated, but then they turned back and evaporated into the porthole, lugging their broken equipment behind them. Z smiled, stepping back up to the hill's summit.

"They won't bother us any more. Its time to go. Who's next?"

Kiz nodded. "Me and Ruby will go, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead. Your destination?"

"Well…" The two girls exchanged looks, their eyes downcast.

"We…don't know. We have no home. Tell them Ruby."

Z frowned and sat upon the grass, laying back and stretching his legs. It had been a long day.

"You have no home?"

"No. How we came to be in the fiction world we have no clue. One day we just woke up and there we were. No memory of the past. Nothing. We worked for Mickey and became strong. We are his scouts, travelling to other dimensions to settle debts, collect information…that sort of thing. We have no real home."

Lirael looked down sadly, plucking at the blades of grass that settled on her feet.

"That's awful."

"Yes…we have nowhere to go. We will remain with Mickey, there is no other choice."

Z's mind raced, with each second he brushed past weeks, months, years, delving further into the past. These girls…Ruby and Kiz. They had been his comrades for what felt like an eternity. He had saved them and they had saved him, countless times.

Their past was so similar. It was almost a reflection of Z's own. He also had woken in a strange place, with barely a memory of the past. He remembered the crash, the crush of steel and glass and then…nothing. Could these girls have been linked to his past self? The Z who had lived on Earth, his home planet, the single thing he remembered of his old life. Earth. That one word, the one picture that remained of his fractured memories.

He thought back, as hard as he could, his mind blazing as he forced his way into the unknown regions of his mind. Nothing…but…maybe…could it be? The faint glimmer of two young girls, standing together, their faces shrouded in darkness. Was it perhaps possible…?

Z shook himself. It was probably his imagination. It would be easy to fall to a trick of the mind. Far to easy. But, nevertheless, he knew what he had to do. He had always had a dream, to find his real home, perhaps even the people he had known and loved there. He would share it.

"Ruby, Kiz. Come with me."

A cool breeze blew across the hill and the grass rustled, leaves shooting over the plains. Everyone was silent and for a second the world seemed to stop.

"What…what do you mean?"

"Come with me, to Earth."

"But…why? Why are you asking now?"

Z sighed and gazed down the hill, towards the magnificent fortress.

"I…our lives. They are so similar. Its strange, but I feel as if I've known you all my years. I am in the same situation as you, the only difference is that I have a home, a place to go to and seek my dreams. I want you, both of you, to accompany me. Share them with me. There is no reason for you to stay and there is no place for you to go. I am offering a solution. We can travel together, become a team. You will have a home, I can promise you that. Will you come?"

For a few seconds nothing happened. Then, as if it had finally sunk in, the two girls rushed forwards, hugging Z and thanking him. They grinned and cried together, tears of joy and grief springing forth and rolling to their lips.

"Thank you…yes! Yes of course we will come!" Kiz laughed along with Ruby, squeezing her hand lightly.

"To have a home…it is what we have always dreamed of. We will travel with you and find happiness."

Z laughed with them and, beyond the group, the three figures of Mickey, Goofy and Samos smiled quietly together.

"They have become true friends." Mickey nodded, his eyes bright with joy.

Z turned to Lirael, offering her a hand and helping her to her feet.

"That leaves only one person. Lirael, your destination? Back to the library perhaps?"

Lirael nodded, but said nothing. Mickey and Samos both held out a staff, planting them into the ground as one. Electric power, immense in size, began to build at the tip of each. The process began.

"Lirael…are you sure this is what you want?"

She did not answer, nor did she look at Z. Lirael knew that she could not, she could not bare it.

"…I…I have to go back. The glacier is my home, I belong in the fiction world."

Nobody spoke. It was, after all, Lirael's decision. The pure purple energy rushed forth, collecting for the final push. Mickey cried the command and the power rushed to one point, two ropes of energy entwining once more.

The great sound of rushing electricity surrounded them, light pouring over the hillside and into the great plains of Disney Creek, illuminating each blade of grass. Goofy spoke over the cacophony, barely audible.

"This is it…the Rift is almost ready."

Lirael turned to Z and gazed at his face, etched with awe and coloured purple as the light spilled forth from the formation of the Rift, washing over his features. Then she looked past him, at the faces of Ruby and Kiz, who had protected her and fought with her again and again.

Lirael choked, her heart racked with indecision. She struggled to keep her determined mask, but could not repress one tiny crack in its armour. A solitary tear broke free, sliding down her cheek and falling to the thick grass below, mingling with the morning dew.

"Lirael…Lirael, are you okay?" The girl sniffed, wiping her eye with a finger.

"I'm…fine."

"You sure?"

This time she did not reply. Lirael knew she would burst into tears if she did. The Rift was formed. It was exactly as before, a massive window to another world. Through it they could see everything and Z gasped as he made out the details of the library in which he had found Lirael.

There were the bookcases, huge numbers of them, each one filled with hundreds of books. All were bound in leather and decorated beautifully. Books of all colours, shapes and sizes. And beyond, the spiralling staircase that twisted down to the next floor of the library.

Z turned to Lirael.

"Well…I guess this is goodbye." She turned to him, but said nothing, bowing her head and staring intently at her feet.

"I'll…I'll never see you again…will I?" Z shook his head. It was the truth, there was no point lying about it.

Lirael began to cry. Slowly at first, and quietly, a muffled sob that grew in intensity. Then she hugged him, throwing herself forwards into his arms.

"I…I don't want to go!"

"Lirael…the glacier is your home."

"I know, but…I don't want to go."

She stepped back and rubbed her eyes, red and watery. Then she sniffed and cleared her throat, taking a deep breath of the crystal clear air.

"I want to come with you. You and Kiz and Ruby. I want to travel with you to Earth. I can't leave you…I can't."

For a second Z faltered, he did not know what to say. The glacier was her home…could he let her leave it, after he had struggled so hard to return to his own? Then he smiled. It was her decision, not his. He felt immense happiness. He would not be alone on his journey. Kiz, Ruby and Lirael. His friends. His comrades. He would never be alone again.

"Of course you can come. If that's what you want." Lirael grinned and Z did the same and they laughed together. Then Lirael stepped forwards and for a second in time the world slowed its pace, sliding to a halt. Then she kissed him, and Z felt her lips on his.

Lirael left Z's embrace, her face slightly red and a flustered look on her features, but still grinning. For a second Z looked puzzled, then he smiled to and they embraced once more.

The Rift shimmered, changing its appearance. The library evaporated, replaced with the deep purple energy, then it shone once more, a mirror again.

Z looked up and watched in amazement as Earth appeared before him. The four companions gazed up, studying their destination.

A row of houses, each painted white with two floors, a small gravel driveway with a car parked in each. There was one, sometimes two, for each house, and each car differed in colour and size. The street was long, and Z could see it stretch around a bend, the tarmac turning past a group of road signs.

There were trees, many, and rows of hedges and small beds of flowers. Hundreds, white and yellow in colour. Each house had a lawn, mowed to perfection, tiny blades that were so unlike those of Disney Creek.

It was night on Earth. The moon was out and the sky was dark, shining brightly with billions of stars, pinpricks of light. Lampposts were positioned at intervals along the street, each casting a circle of yellow light upon the pathway, like islands of illumination in a sea of darkness.

It looked beautiful. Z gasped, taking in every little detail, savouring each tiny part. His home world, Earth.

"That's it…Earth." The group stood together upon the hill, all of them smiling. A new world. A new beginning. A new home.

"Hurry, there's little time left." Goofy ushered them forwards, towards the great Rift, the opening in the sky.

Mickey and Samos were sweating now, gritting their teeth with the effort. It had taken immense power to change the destination, from the glacier's library to Earth, and they could not hold it open much longer.

Z sighed, closing his eyes for a second and breathing the fresh, clean air of Disney Creek.

"The Earth Rift…" The four walked forwards together and said their final goodbyes.

"Goodbye Goofy…make sure you tell Donald how brave he is!" Kiz laughed and shook Goofy's hand one final time.

"Goodbye kids…I'm gonna miss the lot of ya!"

Calls of 'bye!' and 'we'll miss you!' could be heard from the field below and Z turned, taking one final look at his surroundings. The splendour of the creek, the beauty of the fortress and below him, his allies and friends. He waved, shouting a goodbye across the plains, and turned back to the Rift.

"Seeya Mickey, Samos. You've been great friends. I'll see you again, in the next life…believe me. We'll meet." Mickey managed a smile, despite the concentration it was taking to keep the Rift open.

"Lets go."

Z gripped his pistols tightly, breathing heavily as nerves overcame him. He was going back. After all these years, he was going back to Earth, his home. He smiled and closed his eyes. It was time.

The four friends stepped forward together, and, shouting a final goodbye, tears sliding from their eyes, evaporated through the surface of the Rift.

Mickey and Samos gasped a sigh of relief, falling back into the grass and breathing heavily, sweat running from their foreheads. Goofy joined them, sitting between the two and stretching his legs.

"So…they've really gone." Mickey broke the silence.

"Yes. We'll never see them again."

"Ahh, but we will. In the next life."

Samos frowned.

"You think Z was serious?"

"Well…I guess so. He is, after all, the only one who's seen it for himself."

"That's true…" Mickey smiled, laying his head down upon the earth.

"I had a feeling those four would leave together."

"Yes…It wouldn't have been right if they had gone their separate ways."

Then, one by one, they began to laugh. It was tentative at first, a chuckle that rose in intensity, spiralling to a loud, hearty, shouting laugh of happiness. Peace was restored once more and the world of fiction was joyful again.

Z looked up. He was kneeling down, he could feel grass brushing against his wrists. For a second everything was dark, then the glint of a thousand stars caught his eye and he grinned, pushing himself to his feet.

Z turned, helping the others up from the ground. They had landed in one of the small, pristine gardens. Lirael stumbled forwards, still a little uneasy from the after affects of the Rift.

"Everyone okay?"

"Yeah…no problem. So, this is Earth?"

"Yes…Earth. My home."

Kiz and Ruby supported Lirael and the group stepped out onto the path, turning along and following the road. The night was cold, a stinging wind blowing from the North, but there was no rain.

The world felt magical. Z's hair blew in the breeze, the moonlight illuminated all it fell to and the night was quiet. Almost silent. There were no people and the only thing that could be heard for miles was the footsteps of four people clapping on concrete.

"Where are we headed?"

Z shrugged.

"I have no idea. Lets go where the wind blows." The footsteps carried, echoing through the street and into the distance. The four young companions strode on, passing under the glaring light of each street lamp, their shadows cast tall against the tarmac.

Then the last lamppost passed by, and the four mysterious figures passed through the light and into the deep, enveloping darkness of the night.

A new world. A new life. A new home. They would go where the wind blows, searching for their dreams. Now, grinning in the darkness, they were happy once more.

THE END


End file.
